‘Release of excess water not to cause floods in Punjab’

CHANDIGARH/KARNAL - Chairman of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) A B Aggarwal has assured that despite release of excess water from Bhakra Nagal Dam there is no need for public apprehension over flooding in Punjab on Saturday.

The Bhakra reservoir can be filled to a maximum limit of 1,680 feet. It is also permissible to raise level a little over 1,680 feet and store additional water to provide flood moderation.

“Right now the level is 1671 feet, inflow is 71000 cusec and 31 000 is already going through the machines, so we are releasing only 16,000 through the spillway, these are not the floodgates, these are the spillway gates. There is nothing to be worried, nothing to be panicky, we are taking all care so that nothing happens,” said Aggarwal.

When asked specifically about the ramifications of releasing the excess water into Sutlej, he mentioned that the volume of released water is not enough to cause flooding.

“15,000-20,000 cusecs is a very small quantity for river like Sutlej and nothing is going to happen in this small quantity,” Aggarwal added.

He also said that this year they will achieve the level of 1680 feet in the dam project which will be beneficial for irrigation purposes.

“We are not expecting high discharge though; of course we cannot predict, but definitely what discharge we are experiencing and we are getting in last few days, we are not feeling that there would be something flood-like situation,” said Aggarwal.

Unfortunately, the Karnal district of the neighbouring Haryana state witnessed extensive flooding on Sunday after 2 lakh 70 thousand cusecs of water was released from Hathnikund barrage.

The situation arose following incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. (ANI)