After heavy rainfall in Kangra region and Beas river catchments area, the water level in the Pong dam has increased alarmingly. This forced authorities to open the gates and release the excess water thereby flooding the villages located downstream. Seven villages in Jawali area of Kangra district have been the worst affected as excess water released from the dam entered houses and affected crops. Officials have also sounded an alert as the discharge could affect villages and towns mainly in Punjab.
An Official of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which regulates the dam water, said that the spillways were opened to flush out excess water as a precautionary measure. He said the inflow in the reservoir was 35,931 cusecs, whereas the outflow was 49,212 cusecs. However, BBMB officials said a discharge of up to 50,000 cusecs is not treated as flooding the downstream areas. The spill gates, he said, would remain open till the rainfall in the dam’s catchment subdued. Water level at Pong Dam has stood at 1,378 feet and its capacity was 1,393 feet.
Incessant rainfall has alarmingly increased the water level in the other prominent Bhakra dam on Satluj River, where water level in stood at 1,657 feet. Official data said the maximum capacity in Bhakra dam is 1,702 feet.
