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Brimming Bhakra, Pong spell more trouble for Doaba region
BBMB has ramped up releases from both the dams into the Sutlej, which is already flowing near danger level, and the Beas
With the two dams over the Sutlej and Beas—Bhakra and Pong—brimming, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) ramped up discharges, spelling more trouble for the Doaba region.
While the Sutlej river is brimming at danger level, the flow in the Beas came down, lowering the water level in affected areas of Kapurthala’s Sultanpur Lodhi by 1.5 ft.
After creating havoc in nearly 30 villages situated in the Mand (low-lying) areas of Sultanpur Lodhi, the water flow in the Beas river dropped by 74,000 cusecs on Thursday after it was recorded at 2.35 lakh cusecs, the maximum flow of the season, on Monday.
But the relief from Beas might be short-lived as the BBMB released 99,963 cusecs from the Pong reservoir. Similarly, the Board has increased the outflows by 10,000 cusecs from the Bhakra reservoir into the Sutlej.
At Pong, the inflow was recorded at 1.14 cusecs at 4pm from the catchment areas, including Kangra, Mandi, and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh. The Pong dam reservoir is already carrying water 4ft above its danger mark. The current water level in Pong stood at 1394.68 feet on Thursday, against it maximum filling capacity is 1,390 feet.
At Bhakra, the water level touched 1679.05 feet, just a foot short of the danger mark of 1680 feet, this morning. Subsequently, BBMB increased outflows to 85,000 cusecs. At present, 50,000 cusecs is being released from floodgates, and 35,000 cusecs is being released from the penstocks for generating power.
A senior BBMB official, pleading anonymity, said that as the rainfall has receded for a few days, it’s the best time to regulate the water level. “Another spell for three days from September 6 is expected to bring heavy rainfall,” he added.
Kapurthala deputy commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal said the Beas river reported 1.61 lakh cusecs of water flow at the Dhilwan gauge, due to which the water entered the agricultural fields and residential areas.
“We are constantly monitoring the situation related to the release of water from Pong dam as it’s still raining in the catchment areas,” Panchal said.
Meanwhile, the situation remained critical with the Sutlej river flowing at the danger mark.
The water flow in the Sutlej was recorded 1.83 lakh cusecs at 5am at Gidderpindi railway bridge. It lowered to 1.65 lakh cusecs at 5pm, against its average water holding capacity of 1.75-2 lakh cusecs.
“So far, the water is flowing in a controlled manner. All the vulnerable points on the dhussi bundh are monitored by army personnel round the clock,” Jalandhar DC Himanshu Aggarwal said.
In SBS Nagar, DC Ankurjeet Singh said that administration, with the help of locals, has strengthened the dhussi bundh at Dhainkarpur village.
Kejriwal visits flood-affected areas
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal visited flood-affected areas of Sultanpur Lodhi, accompanied by Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal and AAP state president Aman Arora on Thursday. Kejriwal took a boat ride in affected villages to assess the situation.
Kejriwal assured that the Punjab government is standing firmly with every affected family in this hour of crisis.
“Today, Punjab is also facing a grave crisis. We urge the Centre to extend maximum support to Punjab without delay,” he said. He added that the Punjab government will focus on preventing the spread of diseases, rebuilding broken roads, providing compensation to families who lost homes, and compensating farmers for damaged crops, once the water recedes in the affected areas.
