BBMB not to release excess water from Bhakra, Pong dams

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, July 12

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) will not release any excess water from the Bhakra and Pong dams in the Sutlej and Beas till the situation in the flood-hit areas of Punjab and Haryana normalises.

Level below top mark

As on July 12, the water level at Bhakra Dam was recorded at 1,628.72 feet against the full reservoir level of 1,680 feet, while at Pong, the water level was 1,363.96 feet against the top mark of 1,390 feet, respectively.

A special Technical Committee Meeting comprising BBMB officials and representatives of member states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi was held today in which the matter was discussed.

Though the BBMB has not released any water, a communication was sent to the state authorities on July 11 that an extra 16,000 cusecs of water would be released from Bhakra on July 13 in addition to the 19,000 cusecs being released in routine.

Punjab had objected to this move pointing out that there was no requirement for releasing extra water from the dam when the water level in the reservoir at present was much below the top mark, while rivers and streams in many places in the state were swollen.

During the meeting, the position of dams was reviewed and the position of waterlogging in the downstream areas was also discussed. It was decided that the day-to-day coordination with the state authorities would be maintained, BBMB Chairman Nand Lal Sharma said. The situation will be reviewed after 3-4 days and further action shall be taken accordingly, he added.

As on July 12, the water level at Bhakra Dam was recorded at 1628.72 feet against the full reservoir level of 1,680 feet, while at Pong the water level was 1,363.96 feet against the top mark of 1,390 feet respectively.

According to the BBMB, the position of these reservoirs is comfortable as there is still a vacant capacity at Bhakra and Pong, offering enough leeway to absorb heavy inflows if required in the coming dams.

Due to this extraordinary influx of water in the dams, the level in Bhakra Dam has risen by 22.1 feet and in Pong Dam the level has risen by 25.09 feet in the past four days, Sharma said.