Having failed to complete the scientific demarcation of its vulnerable floodplains even as another monsoon has gone by, the Punjab government has sought yet another extension from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to complete the exercise.
The urgency is underscored by the devastating floods of August and September 2025, when exceptionally heavy rainfall, overflowing rivers and breached embankments inundated hundreds of villages and thousands of acres of farmland. The disaster claimed lives, displaced residents and damaged roads, bridges, agricultural land and public infrastructure, with losses estimated at nearly ₹ 13,000 crore. Another 60 days after data submission
With the monsoon having ended in the last week of September, the continued delay raises questions about Punjab’s preparedness to identify flood-prone areas along the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, and plan long-term mitigation measures before the next rainy season.
But the Survey of India had missed the September 30 deadline to submit the remaining geospatial data, which was now expected by October 31, Krishan Kumar, principal secretary, water resources, informed the tribunal through an affidavit on October 9. Meanwhile, the state has awarded the floodplain-zoning contract to Geo Climate Risk Solution Pvt Ltd, issuing the letter of acceptance on September 28. However, the agency’s 60-day deadline will begin only after it receives the complete dataset from the Survey of India. The zoning exercise will use the HEC-RAS hydraulic model and take into account the highest flood level recorded over a 100-year period. Hence, Punjab’s floodplain demarcation is set to stretch months beyond the August 2026 deadline promised by the state government.
October 31, therefore, is only the revised target for submission of the remaining data for Harike, not the deadline for completing the entire exercise.
