M A I N   N E W S

Nathpa-Jhakri shut for third day
Widespread rain in region
Tribune News Service and Agencies

Shimla, July 10
The 1500 mw Nathpa-Jhakri Hydro Power Project remained shut down for the third day today as silt level in the Sutlej remained very high due to widespread rains in the catchment area.

The silt level was 5000 to 6000 parts per million (PPM) at noon against the permissible level of 4000 PPM and the discharge of water was 1200 cumecs against the normal discharge of 500 to 600 cumecs.

The project authorities were keen to start power generation as soon as the silt level came below 4,000 but would not take any risk as it might cause damage to turbines, a senior official said.

The Director (Electrical) of the project had gone to Nathpa and Jhakri to assess the situation and the possibilities of resuming power generation.

The mega project was supplying power to the Northern Gird to meet the peaking requirements of neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and short fall of about 1800 mw power.

Reports from Reckong Peo said that power generation in the 300 mw Baspa-II Hydro Electric Project, owned by the Jaypee group of companies, had begun after a temporary shut-down on Sunday morning due to the sudden rise in the water level of Baspa rivulet and increased content of silt level beyond the permissible limit.

Talking to The Tribune on satellite phone from Sangla, Colonel AS Ghumman, Assistant
General Manager (administration and personal), said the power production was resumed late on the night of Sunday when the silt content decreased along with the decline in water level.

He said power generation in the project was 330 mw during the past 12 hours, which was 30 mw more than its normal capacity.

Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rain lashed most parts of North-West India as monsoon remained vigorous in Himachal Pradesh and Haryana and active in Punjab during the past 24 hours.

The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of Punjab and Haryana, thus covering the entire area, according to the Weather Office in Chandigarh.

It predicted rain or thundershowers at most places in Himachal Pradesh and many places in Punjab and Haryana and warned of heavy rain at isolated places in the region in the next 24 hours.

All rivers in Himachal Pradesh, including the Beas and the Sutlej and their tributaries, were in spate following torrential rains in their catchment areas, triggering landslides. An alert has been sounded in Kinnaur and Shimla districts following sudden rise in the water level in the Sutlej, Spiti and Baspa rivers and their tributaries due to heavy rains.

Widespread rain lashed Himachal Pradesh last night. Shimla recorded 51.2 mm of rainfall till 0830 hours this morning, followed by Sundernagar (47.5 mm), Nahan (57.8 mm), Nagrota Surian (85.5 mm), Gamroor (89.2 mm), Sunni (77.7 mm) Rampur (24.2mm), Sujanpur Tira (50.5 mm), Naudan (36.5 mm), Guler (80.1 mm), and Una (12.8 mm rain).

Rains were also experienced in several areas of Haryana and Punjab, lowering tempeatures and providing respite from hot weather conditions in these states. Ambala with 51.8 mm of rainfall was the wettest place in Haryana. Karnal measured 47.0 mm, Nelokheri 38.4 mm and Hissar 20.0 mm rainfall till this morning.

In Punjab, Patiala was the wettest place recording 42.2 of mm rainfall, followed by Amritsar registering 28.0 mm and Nangal Dam 5.2 mm rain. Ludhiana reported trace rainfall.

People in Chandigarh had relief from sweltering hot weather conditions with the city experiencing more rain since last night. The city measured 39.2 mm of rainfall till 0830 hours. — TNS, Agencies