Release of water from Bhakra dam reduced on Punjab's request

Release of excess water through spillway gates from the Bhakra dam has been reduced to about 8,000 cusecs following a request from Punjab government, an official said on Monday.

"Release of water (through spillway gates) has been reduced from 18,500 cusecs to 8,000 cusecs," said an official of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) which manages Bhakra and Pong dams.

The decision to reduce the discharge of water was taken after the representative of Punjab government requested the BBMB authorities to do so as "problems" were being faced in the plugging breaches of embankment of Sutlej river in some areas, official further said.

BBMB authorities are also releasing 36,000 cusecs of water after using it for power generation, official said.

The water level in Bhakra reservoir Monday stood at 1675.76 feet, a tad 0.25 feet lower than what it was on Sunday.

Water inflow into Bhakra dam continues to be around 44,000 cusecs, official said. BBMB authorities had earlier curtailed the release of excess water through spillway gates from 41,000 cusecs to 18,500 cusecs.

It was also decided to keep water level in Bhakra dam at 1,675 feet.

The Meteorological department has forecast light to moderate rain on August 30 in the catchment areas.

In the worst flood in the state since 1988, people in several districts have lost their houses, belongings, and standing crops.

The state government has estimated that the damage is in the range of Rs 1,700 crore.

Meanwhile, Punjab Ekta Party chief and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Monday blamed the BBMB authorities for the floods in Punjab.

"BBMB was fully responsible for the havoc caused by floods in Punjab," Khaira alleged in a statement here.

He said that the BBMB had conspired to divert water from Beas river to Bhakra dam despite the fact that Pong dam had a large capacity to store rain water.

In the first place the BBMB allowed water level in Bhakra dam to reach the peak level of 1680 feet. Subsequently, the water from Dehar and Pandoh power houses was diverted to Bhakra dam through Beas-Sutlej Link (BSL) to release in Sutlej river.

Earlier, senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra had accused the BBMB of "mismanaging" the release of excess water in the wake of recent heavy rainfall.