Punjab: 23,000 cusecs of water released from Pong dam

Hoshiarpur district administration has issued an advisory, asking people not to panic; deputy commissioner says the administration is prepared to deal with any eventuality

More than 23,000-cusec water has been released from the Pong Dam here as a precautionary measure following a sharp increase in inflow caused by heavy rains in the upper reaches of the Beas river, officials said on Wednesday. Pong (Beas) Dam chief engineer Rakesh Gupta said the current inflow into the reservoir has exceeded 1.90 lakh cusecs.

Water being released from Pong Dam.

As a part of routine monsoon operations, around 4,000 cusecs of water have been released through the spillway gates and another 19,300 cusecs through the turbines of the dam’s powerhouse tunnels. The total discharge stood at approximately 23,300 cusecs, all carried out in a controlled manner, Gupta added.

He said the current water level in the reservoir is 1,373 feet, which is 17 feet below the danger mark.

The Hoshiarpur district administration has issued an advisory, asking people not to panic. Hoshiarpur deputy commissioner Ashika Jain said the administration was prepared to deal with any eventuality. Jain, however, added that sub-divisional magistrates of Mukerian and Dasuya have been instructed to remain alert and monitor the situation in villages that experienced flooding in previous years.

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has sounded an alert that it could release more water from the Pong Dam through spillways, triggering anxiety among people in the Mand area. Those who suffered major losses in 2023 due to sudden release of water from the dam said it was worrying. “Uncontrolled water discharge had wreaked havoc two years ago. About 3,000 acres of land was affected by the floods. The compensation amount was inadequate. The memories of the disaster have resurfaced. People are in panic,” said Rara village sarpanch Charanjit Singh.