E-Paper
Flood alert: Eerie silence on Sutlej banks
Following the threat posed by the artificial lake in the basin of the Pareechoo river in Tibet, at least 56 villages along the banks of the Sutlej were evacuated and around 3,100 persons shifted to safer places on Tuesday. Besides, 15 villages situated close to the riverbank have been connected with wireless network.
Following the threat posed by the artificial lake in the basin of the Pareechoo river in Tibet, at least 56 villages along the banks of the Sutlej were evacuated and around 3,100 persons shifted to safer places on Tuesday. Besides, 15 villages situated close to the riverbank have been connected with wireless network.
If the lake overflows, it may cause floods in the Sutlej. An army column has been put on high alert in the areas likely to be affected if the lake breaks its banks. Four platoons of the Home Guards have been deployed along the banks of the Sutlej.
The state administration says a sufficient stock of medicines has been kept ready and medical teams have been alerted.
In Kinnaur, deputy commissioner Manish Garg said there was an adequate stock of essential commodities in the district. "The district police have installed a wireless network to give flood-related information to the people," he said.
But residents of Tapri village in Kinnaur, who live along the Sutlej, were worried as the administration had failed to make any arrangements for their stay. They were being forced to stay in the open.
The 1,500 mw Nathpa-Jhakri Hydro Project remained shut down for the third day on Tuesday to avoid silting of the tunnels and machinery in the event of the lake bursting and flooding the area.
There was no danger to the project, which supplies electricity to northern states, as the power house complex at Jhakri is fully underground and located much above the riverbed.
