M A I N   N E W S

Bhakra level falling
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 24 — The fast depleting water level in the reservoirs of the Bhakra and the Pong dams may result in a power and water shortage in the entire northern region. And if the snow does not melt quickly, then the situation may worsen as the inflow of water into the reservoirs is on the lower side. Scanty rainfall in the winter has added to the woes.

The water level of the 114-square-kilometre Gobind Sagar reservoir at the Bhakra was around 1499 elevation feet this morning. This is almost 25 ft lower than the level the same day last year. The situation at Pong is no better. At present the level is around 1316 elevation feet this is lower when compared to the 1333 elevation feet level on the same day last year, according to information available through sources in the BBMB.

The depleting water level has forced the authorities to release just 15,000 cusecs of water at Bhakra to run the turbines. The quantity of water to be released is fixed by a technical committee comprising representatives of all partner states and it reviews the situation on a regular basis. Sources said with this kind of water level all the 10 turbines that generate power cannot be operated thus a drop in power generation will automatically occur.

In any case the turbines cannot function if the level drops to 1462 elevation feet. This is the dead level, meaning the power generation will have to cease. Once this level is achieved then the silt that has accumulated at the bottom of the reservoir will start flowing into the turbine along with the water. This type of slush can stop the turbines from operating and damage them, informed an engineer while adding that each turbine costs around Rs 20 crore.

The inflow of water from the Beas and Satluj rivers into the Bhakra reservoir at present is hovering between 12,000 and 13,000 cusecs. ‘‘This may not be enough as the official ‘filling season’ of the reservoir starts only on May 20’’ pointed out a senior BBMB official. So around 25 days to go till May 20, and only 30 feet of water to go in the Bhakra.

Sources said the situation is close to alarming and senior officials of the partner states and the authorities manning the northern power grid have been apprised of the situation. BBMB’s Member Irrigation, Mr R.N. Aggarwal, when contacted said ‘‘The situation is not alarming.’’ The amount of inflow of water and its release are almost closely matched thus the rate of depletion in the level of the reservoir is not all that quick, he explained.

Water is being released according to the irrigation needs and as per the amount fixed by the committee, the member added. When pointed out that the level this year was lesser than last year. Mr Aggarwal said no two successive years were alike thus the comparison did not hold. He hoped that the snow would start melting soon and the inflow would increase thus tiding over the present situation.