Punjab Flood Crisis Unveils Political Tensions

Punjab's worst floods in decades triggered a blame game between the state and central governments. State minister Barinder Kumar Goyal accused the Centre and Haryana of negligence, while emphasizing relief efforts and criticizing a private company's flawed assessment. Political unity and local governance empowerment were called for amidst the crisis.

In the midst of the most severe flood Punjab has faced in 37 years, state water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal criticized the central government for exacerbating the situation. Goyal suggested that timely water release by the Bhakra Beas Management Board in June could have lessened the impact.

Barinder Kumar Goyal's comments came as the AAP government encountered criticism from opposition parties, including the BJP, for its handling of the flood crisis. The lack of timely water release from reservoirs, impacting over a thousand villages, was highlighted as a missed opportunity to mitigate disaster.

The Punjab minister also condemned Haryana's government for reducing water flow to Punjab, allegedly to shield its canal systems at the expense of Punjab's safety. Goyal pushed for political unity and the empowerment of states in disaster management, amidst ongoing relief and rescue operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)