'BBMB successfully handled one of worst floods'

The Bhakra Beas Management Board Wednesday it handled the situation brought about by the recent rains in Punjab in the most professional manner.

The BBMB, by resorting to controlled water releases, could successfully handle one of the worst floods occurred during the last 40 years. The situation has been handled in the most professional manner, BBMB Chairman D K Sharma said here while addressing media.

The chairman said heavy rains in the intervening night of August 17 and 18 in the catchment areas had generated 3.11 lakh cusecs of water into Bhakra dam and this water inflow was more than that of the 1988 floods.

Notably, Punjab had faced worst floods in year 1988.

In view of the dam's safety, the BBMB had to resort to the controlled water release through spillway gates, he said.

He further said the release of excess water through spillway gates would be brought down after the inflow into Bhakra dam reduces.

Sharma said the BBMB was monitoring the inflows into Bhakra reservoir continuously.

The water level in Bhakra dam on Wednesday was recorded at 1,679.50 feet.

Though the water inflows into the Bhakra dam have receded, yet these are still in the range of about 50,000-60,000 cusecs, said Sharma.

The BBMB chairman further said it has also been decided to bring down the present reservoir level by at least five feet to 1675 feet level to handle the possible future flood events.

Notably, following heavy rains in past few days and the release of excess water from Bhakra dam, swollen Sutlej river and its tributaries had inundated villages in several areas in Punjab and Haryana, causing extensive damage to crops especially paddy and homes in low-lying areas.