BBMB asks partnering states to use rain water to max extent

With water storage levels in Bhakra and Pong dams remaining low, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) today asked the partnering states to utilise rain water to the maximum extent.

Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan get water from Bhakra and Pong dams for various purposes including drinking and irrigation.

Depicting a "grim" picture of the storage of water in the two reservoirs, a BBMB official said the water levels in Pong and Bhakra were lower by 36.88 feet and 77.2 feet respectively compared to the storage on the same day last year.

Inflows in river Sutlej from March 1 to July 10 were 46 per cent lower compared to the last year and eight per cent less than the driest year of 2004, the official said.

Inflows in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs from the month of March till today have been very low, the official said.

"From March 1 to July 19, Bhakra reservoir received 9,93,247 cusec days less inflows compared to the same period during the last year. Similarly, Pong reservoir too received 5,18,065 cusec days less inflows for the same period," he said.

Inflows in Pong and Bhakra reservoirs today were 80 per cent and 38 per cent less as compared to the same day last year, he further said.

Considering the "critical" situation, BBMB is closely monitoring reservoir levels and is also conducting two to three emergent technical committee meetings in a month with the Chief Engineers of Irrigation Departments of the partner states as well as representatives of Central Water Commission and IMD.

BBMB requested partnering states Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to conserve and utilise monsoon water to the maximum possible extent so as to store water in reservoir for utilization during the coming depletion period starting from September 21, the official said.

Though BBMB was hopeful of having sufficient storage in its reservoirs during the remaining filling period up to September 20, it also asked partnering states to issue advisory to all the stake holders to use available monsoon rain water optimally and judiciously.

Notably, the water inflow has been lesser this year because of decrease in snow melting caused by low temperatures prevailing over upper Himalayas.