Chandigarh, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Akali Dal “Waris Punjab De” leader and Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali on Thursday urged the Punjab Government, the Centre, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and all beneficiary states to immediately undertake the long-pending de-silting of the Bhakra Dam, warning that further delay could have serious consequences for Punjab.
Raising the issue during the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, Ayali said the Bhakra Dam’s water storage capacity has been significantly reduced due to the accumulation of silt and debris over several years, increasing the risk of flooding in Punjab.
Recalling the history of the project, Ayali said the vision for the Bhakra Dam was first conceived by Sir Chhotu Ram in 1925. Construction began in 1948 after Independence and the project was completed in 1963. He alleged that provisions under Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 affected Punjab’s rights over its water and power resources, with water and electricity from the dam now benefiting states such as Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
He said the absence of timely de-silting has resulted in a substantial build-up of silt and stones inside the reservoir, reducing its storage capacity. Consequently, the dam reaches critical levels much earlier, forcing authorities to open floodgates, with Punjab bearing the brunt of flood-related damage.
Ayali also expressed concern over the structural safety of the dam, stating that engineers had prescribed permissible limits for its inclination at the time of construction. He said the current situation warrants immediate attention and stressed that technical recommendations regarding the dam’s safety should be implemented without delay.
The MLA noted that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti had constituted a 10-member committee to examine the issue of de-silting, but said no concrete outcome had emerged so far. He further claimed that studies conducted by IIT Roorkee and IIT Ropar had also recommended urgent de-silting to minimise future risks.
Calling for coordinated action, Ayali urged the BBMB, the Central Government, the Punjab Government and all states benefiting from the Bhakra Dam’s water and power resources to jointly discharge their responsibility by launching the de-silting exercise on a war footing to safeguard millions of people and protect critical infrastructure.
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