Soon after the advent of monsoon, its impacts are discernible in full in Uttarakhand. On one hand, rivers are swelling, while on the other hand, hydro power units are unable to generate electricity because rain water has brought huge amount of silt, putting a brake on the turbines. Hence, the generation by hydro power units has plummeted. In Ganga, the silt volume is 7500 PPM at present. The Ganga canal released 112000 cusecs water. Due to landslides occurring the in hilly areas, Ganga is receiving huge amount of silt which had been choking the turbine since Friday.
Till Saturday, the water level of Ganga was rising and the silt ratio reached to 7,500 PPM (per part million). Seeing this, the Ganga canal north division engineer decided to close it down. They had run silk ejector in full speed at Kankhal but could not have succeeded in getting the required result. Hence, the decision to close the Ganga canal with immediate effect. Haridwar head works closed the Ganga canal when the silt volume crossed 7000 PPM and the volume of water released reached two lakh cusecs. The sources said that when the silt volume comes below 7000 ppm the Ganga canal would be made functional again.
As the plain areas are also receiving heavy rainfall the demand has gone down which is why Ganga canal north division had not exerted itself much to run the canal. Besides, they have increased patrolling in all sensitive points of Ganga canal, especially Dhanori saloni water dam, Dhanori dam, Mayapur dam and Bhimgoda Barrage. In case of flood, these points turn most vulnerable.