The trail of devastation in at least twelve districts covered by these rivers — Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Jalandhar and Rupnagar (Ropar) are the worst-hit districts — remained massive, with people struggling to rebuild their lives. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)At 6 pm on Tuesday, the water level at the Khanauri gauge on Punjab’s largest rainfed river, Ghaggar, touched 748 feet — the danger mark for the river at this location. The last three days have seen an alarming 7.4-feet rise in the water level, raising fears of a situation similar to 2023 when the river had breached embankments at multiple points.According to data, the river level was 740.6 ft at 6 am on August 30 and 740.9 ft in the evening. The steep rise began on August 31, when the level reached 742.8 ft (morning) and 744.6 ft (evening). By September 1, the reading was 746 ft at 6 am and 747.1 ft by evening. On Tuesday, it touched 747.6 ft in the morning and 748 ft by evening, prompting round-the-clock vigil by the flood control room housed in an old, dingy building near the Ghaggar bridge. “The danger mark is 748 ft. In 2023, the level had reached 753 ft, but we can’t ignore the current rise,” said an official on duty, maintaining the register.The scene at Khanauri bridge was tense, with worried residents stopping by to check the gauge. Raj Kumar, a local commuter, recalled, “Last year, the level crossed 753 ft—five feet above danger mark—and the embankments breached at 15 points in Khanauri. I hope the river starts receding tomorrow.”Ghaggar’s history of floods makes locals uneasy. In 1988, it breached the 754 ft-mark, devastating Khanauri and Moonak. In 1993, it touched 752 ft, submerging vast areas of farmland. The year 2008 saw it reaching 754 ft, and in 2019, the level was 751 ft. in 2023, the river again hit 754-ft mark, causing massive flooding.With the situation getting critical, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora visited the vulnerable Makraur point in Khanauri Tuesday. Both said that incessant rains and cloudbursts in Himachal and Haryana have worsened Punjab’s situation. They said Ghaggar’s flow was 12,000 cusecs against its capacity of 12,200 cusecs. “In 2023, breaches occurred at 753 ft. This year, all 15 breach points have been reinforced, so the situation is under control,” the ministers assured.However, on the ground, the river was flowing full, carrying tree branches and debris, while the Bhakra main line canal nearby was also brimming. At Ghanaur in Patiala, the river level was close to 16 ft, the danger mark. A crane was deployed to remove tree branches and weeds from the riverbed—a task locals said should have been done before monsoons. “This cleaning now, after floods hit the state, is meaningless,” said Sukhwinder Singh of Salempur Jattan.Residents across villages expressed anger over poor preparedness. Satnam Singh of Ghanaur questioned, “Cleaning work is done before monsoons, not after water has entered fields.” Jasmer Singh Lachhru, SGPC member, added, “Go to any gauge point, you will see cleaning happening now. Farmers aren’t sleeping; they remember 2023.”Story continues below this adVillagers alleged manmade factors were worsening the crisis. “Weeds in the riverbed will force water into fields. Don’t just blame monsoons,” said Davinder Singh from Maduda. At several points, NREGA workers, mostly women, were seen filling mud bags. “This is not flood preparation. Why not hire more private labour to speed up work?” asked Darshan Singh, an agitated farmer.Ghaggar, originating from Dagshai in Himachal, flows through Panchkula, Mohali, Patiala, Sangrur, and Mansa in Punjab before entering Haryana. With water levels inching toward the danger mark and rains continuing, farmers and residents along its course are spending sleepless nights, fearing history may repeat itself.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd