Guwahati: Experts warn Punjab’s deluge mirrors the annual monsoon disasters that have long plagued Assam and the Northeast and say to take urgent steps of “flood management” in Assam and the entire northeast.
Thousands of people displaced and loose their properties in Assam and the entire northeast due to devastating flood every year.
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Punjab is currently grappling with one of its most severe floods in decades, affecting nearly 1,500 villages and over 300,000 people since 17 August.
Experts are drawing comparisons with Assam and other Northeastern states, which suffer devastating floods every monsoon.
“Punjab’s flood is unprecedented for the state, but Assam and the Northeast have faced similar devastation year after year. The scale is alarmingly comparable,” said Ramesh Sarma, a disaster management analyst.
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The floods in Punjab have caused widespread destruction of crops, uprooted farmlands, and damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power lines.
Thousands have been displaced into relief camps, struggling with shortages of clean water, food, and medical care. “Entire wheat and rice fields are under water, and families are walking long distances just to reach safety,” said Amanpreet Kaur, a relief worker in Gurdaspur.
Analysts note that the recurring nature of floods in Assam and the Northeast provides a cautionary lens for assessing Punjab’s crisis and the potential socio-economic fallout.
Political inattention has intensified public frustration. Giani Harpreet Singh, former head priest of the Akal Takht, addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly: “Punjab is part of this country. Your absence during this crisis is deeply felt,” he wrote on social media and in a detailed letter. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited the flood-hit areas, saying, “We are doing everything to protect crops and assist farmers,” while Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann received central assurances. Yet locals remain uneasy.
“It feels like Punjab is being overlooked, unlike other states,” said Harjit Singh, an Amritsar resident.
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Analysts caution that Punjab’s vulnerability is compounded by political fragmentation and growing radical influence, echoing patterns seen in Assam, where recurring floods have exposed governance gaps and fueled public discontent. “Neglect during disasters can deepen alienation and instability,” said Meera Sharma, a political commentator.
Historical lessons from India’s Northeast underscore the stakes. During the 1960s bamboo-flowering famine in Mizoram, delayed central intervention escalated a local crisis into decades-long insurgency. “Assam and the Northeast have shown the cost of inaction; Punjab cannot repeat these mistakes,” said Anil Verma, a historian.
Experts insist that rapid, visible, and empathetic action is crucial. “How the Centre responds now will determine trust, political stability, and the lives of hundreds of thousands in Punjab,” concluded Ramesh Singh.
The time will tell what lessons are being learn by Assam and the entire northeastern governments from Punjab devastating flood.