With the catchment areas of Bhakra and Pong Dam receiving insufficient rain so far, the water level of their reservoirs has remained low, giving a cause of worry for the partnering States.
On the other hand, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which manages Bhakra and Pong Dams built on the border of two States — Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, maintained that there was no point to worry with the two months still to go for filling period till mid-September.
Notwithstanding, the Board has decided to monitor the water levels every fortnight seeing no respite in the future. It was decided that the next meeting of the BBMB, to review the water situation, would be held in the sometime in the second week of August. Bhakra and Pong Dams serve the irrigation requirements of the State of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
The decision was taken in the BBMB’s Technical Committee meeting on Monday to take stock of the situation of Bhakra and Pong reservoirs. The meeting, attended by the Chief Engineers of all partner States from irrigation and power wings besides representative from Agricultural department, also deliberated and planned the operation of dams during the remaining filling period.
The meeting also decided to impose “no cuts on water supply” to the partnering stated of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan as of now, and would continue to get water supply as per their requirements.
During the meeting, the partner states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan expressed their concern at “lower” water level in Pong dam that stood at 1,328.38 feet on Monday —32.82 feet less than the water level on the corresponding day the previous year.
“Today’s inflow in Pong reservoir was 39,503 cusecs against previous year’s 25,829 cusecs and outflow 15,512 cusecs against 14,006 cusecs on the same day the previous year,” a BBMB official told The Pioneer.
Pong dam, set up on Beas river, is dependent mainly on rains in its catchment areas for filling up its reservoir. “Concern was expressed at the meeting at the lower water level in Pong dam but it was decided that the water situation can be reviewed in the second week of next month or earlier,” said Punjab Irrigation department Chief Engineer Amarjit Singh Dullet.
On the other hand, Monday’s water level at Bhakra reservoir is 1,641.44 feet against previous year’s level of 1,646.70 feet — 5.26 feet less. The inflows to Bhakra’s Gobind Sagar reservoir were recorded at 62,435 cusecs against previous year’s count of 47,360 cusecs and outflow is 25,900 cusecs as against previous year’s 36,458 cusecs.
BBMB official informed that the levels have witnessed an increase in the past two days as the catchment areas of the two dams have received good rainfall. The inflows in Bhakra reservoir on July 25 were recorded at 19,957 cusecs, which has increased to 62,435 cusecs in just three days.
Bhakra dam has the maximum storage capacity of 1,702 feet and the Pong dam could hold water between 1,395 to 1,410 feet against the danger mark of 1,390 feet.
“The reservoir is likely to reach the maximum level before the monsoon ends….It is not for the first time we are facing such a situation. In 2010-11, the situation was quite similar, but later levels improved. We have still two months to go for filling period till September 21,” a BBMB official said.