Heavy rains in Mansa on Thursday led to severe flooding, with knee-deep water accumulating on roads within half an hour. The situation was particularly dire outside the residence of the Deputy Commissioner, where sandbags were placed at the main gate to prevent water from entering the building. Water also flooded the offices of many private banks, forcing markets to close.
“This was the first heavy rainfall of the monsoon in a town already struggling with sewerage overflow problems,” said Gurlabh Singh Mahal, a Mansa-based advocate. “It rained for about four hours, and by 10 am the rain had stopped, but water is yet to be drained from most parts of the city.”
Mansa’s sewage treatment plant (STP) has a capacity of 11 million liters per day (MLD), with the treated water typically used for irrigation. However, when farmers do not need this water, it overflows into the streets, regardless of rainfall. Mahal added, “A project to link the treated water supply of the STP to the Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant is in the works, but its completion date is uncertain.”
Sewerage overflow was a significant issue during recent elections, with residents protesting for days without resolution. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Paramveer Singh referred inquiries to Nirmal Singh, Additional
Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development), who was unavailable for comment.
The Mansa Bar Association has requested the district session judge to reschedule hearings as many clients were unable to reach courts due to the heavy rains.
Ludhiana: Persistent flooding despite STP capacity
Ludhiana, Punjab’s largest municipal corporation, has 95 municipal wards and STPs with a total capacity of 703 MLD across three locations. However, only around 575 MLD is operational, with the 225 MLD STP at Jamalpur not
fully functional, treating just 100-125 MLD daily. The city receives approximately 650 MLD of sewage water, so the STP struggles to cope, especially on rainy days.
Sources revealed that several recharge wells near Ferozepur Road, installed by the National Highway Authority of India, are clogged. Despite claims by Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Rishi that the city was prepared for monsoons, large parts of Ludhiana were waterlogged on July 27. AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Gogi also raised concerns about low-lying areas near Buddha Nallah after the rainfall.
Sangrur: CM’s native district faces waterlogging issues
Sangrur, the native district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, faces significant waterlogging even after mild rainfall. On June 27, water entered the offices of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the civil hospital in Bhawanigarh, as well as many colonies’ roads.
Fazilka: Preparations for monsoons amid light rains
In Fazilka, light showers on June 20 caused waterlogging outside Nehru Park in Abohar, forcing the relocation of an International Yoga Day event. Deputy Commissioner Senu Kapila Duggal stated that the district has made
extensive preparations for the monsoon. Currently, a 25 MLD STP is operational in Abohar, with an additional 11 MLD proposed. The district has an operational capacity of 71 MLD, with another 9 MLD proposed for Jalalabad. Despite the preparations, the district, close to the Rajasthan border, typically experiences scanty rainfall.
Bathinda: Preparing for potential flooding
Bathinda has not yet experienced heavy rainfall this monsoon, but past experiences indicate that the city floods easily. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Rahul noted that Bathinda has a 52 MLD STP in use, with an
additional 4.5 MLD pending commissioning due to a main pipeline issue.
“Road gully cleaning, drain and sewer line desilting, and manhole maintenance are ongoing,” he said. “All machinery for handling stormwater is repaired and ready.”
Faridkot: Ongoing preparations amid flooding concerns
Kotkapura and Faridkot towns were waterlogged for hours on June 27 after the first monsoon showers. Last year, Kotkapura remained flooded for two days in the second week of July due to heavy rainfall. Despite this, road
Gully and pipeline cleaning are still underway as the monsoon progresses.
Muktsar
Muktsar has not yet experienced heavy rainfall, but sources revealed that many pre-monsoon drainage works were delayed due to the MCC, potentially worsening the situation if heavy rains occur. Currently, many
of these projects are underway. So far, Muktsar has only seen drizzle twice.