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After Bhakra, Pong swells to capacity
Jangveer Singh/TNS

Chandigarh, September 8
After Bhakra, Pong Dam may also overflow with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities today saying that the spillway gates of the dam would be opened to release pressure on it, in case the rains continued.

The water level at Pong has already crossed the maximum level of 1,390 feet with the level being recorded at 1391 feet today. Though the water level at the dam can go up to 1,400 feet in extreme conditions, the dam authorities do not want to take any chance due to persistent rain in its catchments.

The release of water from the turbines at the Pong dam has been increased to the maximum possible, BBMB member irrigation M K Gupta disclosed. He said all three turbines at the dam were running and 18,000 cusecs of water was being released into the Beas through the power plant.

Punjab Drainage Chief Engineer Vinod Chaudhary said the Beas was capable of handling the release of 20,000 cusecs of water and his department did not visualise any flooding in case the Pong spillway gates were opened. He said the BBMB authorities had, however, been requested to stagger the release of Bhakra and Pong dams as waters from the Sutlej and the Beas collected at the Harike barrage. The state did not want this water to arrive at the barrage in one go.

Meanwhile, the water level at the Bhakra Dam is also on the rise. The inflow during the day were 52,000 cusecs, forcing the dam authorities to open the spillway gates from the earlier two feet to three feet now. Around 13,000 cusecs of water is being released from the spillway gates. This much water, if retained, would have increased the water level in the dam by half a foot.

The BBMB authorities have decided not to let the level of Bhakra increase beyond 1,681 feet. This is being done as a safety measure as the rains will continue till September 22.

The dam authorities may let the level increase slightly before the end of the filling season. Bhakra Dam is not designed to take in more water beyond 1685 feet.