Fault at Ravi headworks in India triggers flooding in Lahore

• Four floodgates at Madhopur Headworks fail, villages submerged.
• Indian officials call malfunction sheer negligence.
• Crisis highlights weak IWT compliance, need for dialogue.

LAHORE: Flooding struck large swathes of land in the country, especially  parts of Lahore, after a technical fault developed at the Ravi headworks in India, causing a surge of water downstream that worsened the flood situation in low-lying areas, The News reported on Friday citing officials. 

What is even more alarming is that India failed to notify Pakistan about the floods in the Ravi River or inform authorities regarding the technical issue with the Madhopur Headworks. 

In light of this emergency situation, the Pakistan’s Indus Water commissioner failed to address the urgent matter with India to ensure that such occurrences are managed and preventive measures are established for the future.

According to reports, India only shared three flood alerts to Pakistan since Sunday. One was concerning floods in the Tawi, a tributary of the Chenab River, and the other two alerts were related to floods in the Sutlej River.

Reportedly, up to four floodgates of the Madhopur Headworks failed, resulting in flooding numerous villages and submerging vast areas of agricultural land. In the backdrop of decades of neglect, the 54 floodgates at Madhopur Headworks have seen minimal upgrades over the years.

Situated on the Ravi in the Gurdaspur district near Pathankot in Indian Punjab, the Madhopur Headworks channels water into the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) for irrigation in East Punjab, supplying water to Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and surrounding areas through canals.

The mishap triggered water releases reaching 220,000 cusecs at Shahdara near Lahore, inundating vast areas, displacing thousands of people and submerging agricultural lands.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division, an exceptionally high flood was being witnessed until Thursday night. Authorities attribute part of the crisis to uncontrolled water flows from India’s Madhopur Headworks, where a malfunction led to unabated downstream flooding, heightening risks for Lahore residents.

Even local Indian officials reportedly condemned it as “sheer negligence,” calling for accountability and highlighting crores spent annually on upkeep. Repairs are delayed until waters recede, with 55,000 cusecs currently flowing into Pakistan, reports add.

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), governing Indus Basin rivers, requires timely flood data sharing to prevent disasters. In conclusion, this crisis underscores the need for enhanced IWT compliance and climate-resilient infrastructure. With more rains forecast, bilateral dialogue is crucial to avert future escalations. 

When contacted, Mehar Ali Shah, Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, did not comment on specific queries regarding the malfunctioning of Madhopur Headworks and its impact on flooding downstream coupled with the failure of India in informing Pakistan about imminent high flows in the River Ravi.