Residents of Sasrali village are on edge as the Sutlej river continues to swell, with its water level reaching dangerously close to the dhusi bundh, a key embankment protecting several nearby villages in Ludhiana district.
With heavy inflows from upstream and more rain forecast, locals have urged the district administration and the irrigation department to deploy additional staff and machinery at vulnerable spots.
District administration officials, along with the army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed to strengthen the embankment of the river so as to avert any breach in the embankment. Large quantities of stone boulders, sand, soil and iron mesh, as well as JCBs and poclains, have been sent to the site for immediate reinforcement.
“We are on high alert. The water is now touching the edge of the dhusi bundh. One mistake can flood our entire village,” said Gurmeet Singh, a resident of the area. “We are requesting the administration to increase the vigil and strengthen the embankment immediately.”
While officials have already placed sandbags and stones to control seepage, villagers fear the measures may not be enough if the water rises further. Studs installed along the bundh are already submerged under the Sutlej, they said.
Adding to their concerns is the alleged illegal sand mining in the past which residents claim has weakened the natural defences over the years, allowing water to change course and reach closer to farmland and residential areas. Charanjit Singh, another villager, said, “Despite several complaints, mining mafias are digging out sand illegally near the river. This is the main reason the river has come so close to our fields. Earlier, there was enough buffer, but now there’s hardly any space left.”
Villagers are also concerned that with the monsoon season at its peak, any sudden surge in water discharge from dams can lead to a flood-like situation. They have demanded that police and mining officials keep a strict watch on the riverbanks and take action against those involved in illegal excavation.
Meanwhile, district officials have assured that teams are monitoring the situation closely, and all preventive steps are being taken to ensure safety of life and property. “We are alert, and necessary resources have been deployed,” an irrigation official said.
Still, villagers say, a long-term solution is needed and illegal mining must be stopped permanently to prevent such emergencies in the future.
While no breach has been reported in the dhusi bundh, the high velocity of river water is necessitating proactive measures to safeguard the area. They added that the army, NDRF along with the teams of administration and villagers, are engaged in strengthening the dhusi bundh. The situation is being closely monitored, and additional resources will be mobilised as needed to ensure the stability of the bundh.
Deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain appealed to residents to ignore rumours and rely on official updates. Teams are working here round the clock, he said while emphasising the administration’s commitment to the safety and well-being of residents, assuring that all necessary steps are being taken to mitigate risks. They also lauded the services being offered by the villagers at the spot.