CHANDIGARH, September 20— The Punjab Government has suspended three engineers posted at the Madhopur headworks after floodgates failed to open during a heavy inflow of water in the Ravi river last month, causing widespread flooding in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts.
Orders issued by the Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, placed under suspension Executive Engineer (XeN) Nitin Sood, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Arun Kumar, and Junior Engineer (JE) Sachin Thakur. The three were responsible for maintaining the barrage gates.
The incident occurred on the intervening night of August 26–27, when 2.12 lakh cusecs of water was released from the upstream Ranjit Sagar Dam. The 54 floodgates at the Madhopur barrage had reportedly been sealed after Operation Sindoor, which aimed to prevent water flow toward Pakistan.
As the water surged downstream, the floodgates could not be operated. Two gates eventually gave way under pressure, prompting the Indian Army to rescue 22 personnel deployed at the site to help open them. A building near the headworks later collapsed as floodwaters continued to rage.
While the state government moved against the officers on duty, political criticism quickly followed. Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu demanded the resignation of Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal, saying accountability must rest at the top.
“Merely suspending three officials is not enough,” Bittu said. “The Chief Minister and the minister should be held responsible for gross negligence in flood preparedness before the onset of monsoons.”
