Floods - Self-inflicted disaster

India is highly vulnerable to floods due to the wrongdoings of the government and its citizens. India has been grappling with severe and relentless floods. It has been worsened by inadequate infrastructure and the disastrous conduct of  government machinery and society.    

Floods in India kill more than one thousand people every year, and millions are rendered homeless following devastating floods that have hit India. Almost all the states are hit by affected by floods. Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai, Tamilnadu, Utter Pradesh, Assam, Bihar etc are worst hit and affected.  

The frequency and intensity of floods are increasing due to the wrong policies of the governments and the misdeeds of society. Incompetent and corrupt administration, inadequate infrastructure, such as clogged drains, slit in the rivers and dams, narrowing and shallow rivers, encroachments and unauthorized construction on river banks, riverbeds, water catchment areas, wet lands, water bodies, forest, etc, contribute significantly to the problem. Floods' woes are largely caused by pathetic and nonperforming administration.  

Untimely and untimely opening of the dam gates also causes severe flooding.  For example, everyone's attention has now turned to a wrong decision by the government of Punjab that exposes its ignorance and wrong decision. Experts from the Bhakdha Nangla Dam Management Board (BBMB) advise releasing water from the dam in April 2025 to reduce the risk of flooding. However, the Punjab government opposed this, insisting that the water should be used only for Punjab and not for Haryana, Delhi, or Rajasthan. In fact, one minister threatened to take over the administration and security of the dam. Now, with Punjab inundated due to excessive rain, it has become clear how wrong and arrogant the government's decision was.

On one hand, it talks about the needs and welfare of the farmers and people of Punjab; on the other ignored the expert (BBMB) advise and invited disaster to its own people and state. The government, caught in political rivalry and electoral benefits, refused to share water with other states. As a result, when heavy rains came, an excessive amount of water was suddenly released from the dam, flooding entire Punjab.

The same technical mistake and political arrogance are reflected in its refusal to complete the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal. The mindset of the governments reflects their lack of foresight, isolation, and imprudence. The expert panel, which included technical and scientific professionals, the judiciary, and the central government, had advised to complete the project at the earliest to minimise the risk of floods in the state but the government of Punjab rejected this for narrow and short-term political gains over long-term safety. The greatest loss from these wrong decisions is being borne by the common people of Punjab.

The government of India has proposed interlinking 67 rivers to prevent floods and droughts, but none has been completed. Despite the repeated disasters in the forms of floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and melting of glaciers, the attitude and conduct of the people are not changing. The governments should construct dams and check dams to collect the rainwater and control the floods.

The rain water harvesting is another low-cost and effective method to control floods. Rainwater harvesting systems should be constructed in every building, school, college, university, madrassa, factory, hospital, temple, mosque, church, gurudwara, dargah, graveyard, hotels, government office, park, mall, housing societiy, bus stand, railway station, airport, etc.

Encroachments in various forms is also a big reason for flooding the country. So, all the encroachments on the riverbeds, river banks, river and ponds catchment areas, water bodies, wetlands, forests, and green lands should be removed to increase the width or breadth of the rivers. Rivers, dams, and ponds should be regularly cleaned and de-silted to increase the depth of the rivers.

Dense forests of native or desi trees should be developed to prevent landslides, cloudbursts, and lightning deaths. Native and desi trees should be planted on both sides of roads, rivers, dams, and hills. This will again prevent landslides, lightning deaths, and cloudbursts.

Every year huge amount is spent on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected people. This is high time that the central and state  governments and the people of the country should think seriously about preventing flood disasters and save lives and damage to the national wealth.  

India’s flood disasters are the result of human actions and policy failures, not just natural causes. The Punjab dam management controversy and the uncompleted river-linking projects—to show how short-term political interests and administrative shortcomings directly worsen the problem.