Panjnad Barrage Overhaul Worsens Floods, Traps Villagers

In a concerning development, the recent renovation of the Panjnad Barrage in Pakistan has backfired, leading to prolonged flooding and misery for local communities. Villagers from Jalalpur Pirwala to Shujabad have reported a strange phenomenon during the last floods - the river flow was unusually sluggish, with flood peaks lingering for 4-5 days instead of passing quickly as before.

The barrage's rehabilitation, completed just last March, was meant to enable it to safely handle flood flows of up to 850,000 cusecs. Yet, the actual peaks only reached 550,000 to 680,000 cusecs - high enough to cause the water to head up and pass sluggishly. Technical experts suspect that the design choices, such as depressed bays, a reinforced end sill, and a divide wall, may have inadvertently slowed the river's flow and raised upstream water levels.

Adding to the woes, the construction of a motorway across the drainage plains upstream of the barrage has also complicated the situation. The motorway obstructed the natural cross-drainage of the Sutlej River, forcing massive silt deposition and diverting the river's course towards Jalalpur town, leading to breaches and extended inundation of previously unaffected areas.

An independent inquiry must be launched immediately to assess the role of both the barrage remodeling and the motorway construction in this prolonged flood event. Accountability is essential, as the Indus basin needs a new approach that prioritizes river ecology and community resilience over colonial-era hydraulic thinking and mega-projects financed by foreign loans.