Thaindian News

Shimla, Sep 14 (IANS) An additional 15,000 cusecs of water was released from Himachal Pradesh’s Pong dam into the Beas river as the reservoir-level neared the danger mark. This is the first time in 15 years that the spillways were opened as a precautionary measure.
“The spillways were opened in the morning as a precautionary measure as the water level touched 1,394.25 feet at 10 a.m. against Monday’s 1,392.42 feet,” V.N. Goel, chief engineer of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), told IANS over telephone.

However, the inflow of water into the reservoir came down by Tuesday evening owing to less rainfall in the catchments of the reservoir.

“The inflow that was 65,000 cusecs in the morning came down to around 50,000 cusecs at around 4 p.m. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” Goel said.

The Pong Dam is located in Himachal Pradesh, along the Punjab border, about 250 km from the state capital.

“There is no need for panic as we have released only 15,000 cusecs additional water. Up to 50,000 cusecs, it’s not treated as flooding in the downstream area. We have released the water just as a precautionary measure,” Goel said.

According to him, if there is continuous rainfall in the catchments of the reservoir, then more water would be released.

The dam can store water up to 1,395 feet-mark against the danger mark of 1,390 feet.

“We have released around 33,000 cusecs water, including 18,000 cusecs through normal operation of turbines,” he added.

Another BBMB official said: “Now we are planning to bring down the water level by four to five feet below the dam’s optimum capacity (1,395 feet) to create space for more water in case of heavy rainfall in the catchments.”

He said for the next few days 15,000 cusecs would be released from the spillway gates and 18,000 through routine operation of the turbines.

“If there is a rise in the inflow, then water in excess of 15,000 cusecs would be discharged,” he added.

The inflow of water into the reservoir was 1.85 lakh cusecs Monday.

The spillways were earlier opened in 1988 and 1995.

One of the largest man-made wetlands in northern India, the Pong dam reservoir is spread over an area of 41 km with a maximum width of 19 km in Himachal Pradesh. It came into existence after the construction of a dam on the Beas river in 1975.

It fulfils the irrigation requirements of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Sources in the BBMB said the water from Pong dam was discharged after consulting the Bhakra dam authorities as the water released from both the Bhakra and Pong dams could damage the Harike barrage near Punjab’s Ferozepore town.

“If the water is simultaneously released from both the dams, it could damage the Harike barrage,” the sources said.