Mandi — Following the deadly cloudburst, the Pandoh Dam is facing a severe operational crisis as two gates have become jammed with silt. This blockage has brought power production to a standstill and disrupted various operations. For the past three days, officials have been struggling to clear the silt accumulation, which has rendered the gates inoperable and forced the closure of the Baggi tunnel, a crucial component of the system.
The jammed gates have closed the Baggi tunnel, leading to a complete halt in electricity production at the Salapad Power House since last night. BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi has rushed to the site, accompanied by a technical team from Chandigarh, to oversee and expedite the silt removal process.
Efforts to clear the silt from the gates are currently underway, but the task remains challenging. The water level of the Beas River is currently low, which offers a window of opportunity for clean-up operations. However, there is a looming threat from the weather department’s alert about potential heavy rains or cloudbursts in the Kullu-Manali region. Such weather events could exacerbate the situation by raising the water level in the dam, potentially causing significant damage.
In addition to the silt issue, the Baggi tunnel site is clogged with wood, further complicating efforts to release water through the tunnel. The inability to clear these obstructions has led to the suspension of the 990 MW Beas Sutlej Link (BSL) project for the past three days.
BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi has set up camp at Pandoh to personally monitor the situation and ensure that all possible measures are taken to resolve the crisis promptly. The technical team’s arrival from Chandigarh underscores the severity of the situation and the urgency with which BBMB is addressing the problem.
This incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to natural elements and the importance of maintaining and monitoring these systems to prevent such disruptions. The outcome of the ongoing efforts to clear the silt and resume operations remains to be seen, but the situation is being closely watched by authorities and residents alike.
The disruption at Pandoh Dam underscores a broader concern regarding the maintenance and resilience of dam infrastructure in the face of natural challenges. With the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns, such incidents may become more frequent, necessitating robust contingency plans and regular maintenance schedules to ensure the smooth functioning of vital infrastructure.
