Water shortage fears subside as Punjab, Himachal dams see marked increase in storage levels

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27

With many parts of north-west India experiencing increased rainfall in August vis-à-vis the preceding month, the storage level in key reservoirs in the region has gone up significantly, thereby alleviating the fears of an impending water crisis.

“The reservoirs at both Bhakra and Pong dams are filled up to two-thirds of their capacity,” a senior functionary of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said. “The situation has become comfortable and we are meeting the entire demand for drinking water and irrigation from the member states,” he added.

While the grim position that existed during the early phase of the monsoon has largely subsided, the water levels are still below normal. The current storage at Bhakra and Pong is about 65 per cent, which, at this time of the year, should have been around 75 per cent. The Bhakra, Pong and Thein dams have a combined capacity of generating 2,400 MW power and irrigating 10.24 lakh hectares.

In mid-July, with rain having faltered, the storage at Bhakra and Pong, which lie on the Sutlej and the Beas in Himachal Pradesh, was 37 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively. At the Thein dam that lies on the Ravi in Punjab, the storage was 24 per cent, according to information available with the Central Water Commission.

Though the monsoon over north-west India was significantly deficient in July, Himachal Pradesh, which is the catchment area for major rivers, and Punjab experienced increased rainfall during August.

From August 1 till the morning of August 27, rainfall was 4 per cent below the long-period average in Himachal Pradesh and 11 per cent below par in Punjab, according to the India Meteorological Department. As far as the entire season is concerned, the monsoon has been deficient by 22 per cent in Himachal and 32 per cent in Punjab.

With over a month to go for the filing season to end and the weather department predicting several spells of rain in the coming days, BBMB officials expect the reservoirs could fill up to about 80 per cent of their capacity. In the present climatic situation, however, they ruled out the possibility of the dams filling to full capacity this year, unless a freak weather event brings in excessive inflow.

The water level recorded at Bhakra on August 27 was 1,636.46 feet against the maximum permitted level of 1,680 feet, with the inflow and outflow being 31,541 cusecs and 25,173 cusecs, respectively. At Pong dam, the water level was 1,359.77 feet against the upper limit of 1,390 feet, with the inflow and outflow being 15,088 cusecs and 16,038 cusecs, respectively.

The current water level at the Thein dam, however, remains considerably below normal, with the water level recorded on August 27 being 500.95 feet against upper limit of 1,732, with the inflow being 8,912 cusecs and 9,364 cusecs being released.

According to sources, the water level at Thein had been deliberately lowered earlier to undertake some repair and maintenance work, but due to less rainfall in its catchment area, the reservoir could not fill up to the requisite level.