BBMB releases water into Sutlej ‘without warning’

Tribune News Service

Ropar, January 1

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) yesterday released 4,000 cusecs of water into the Sutlej without reportedly coordinating with the Ropar district administration. Though no loss of life was reported, a bridge that was under construction was damaged due to the sudden surge in the water level. Local residents were reportedly not informed about the release of water.

In a similar incident, 24 engineering students drowned in the Beas near Manali in June, last year, when authorities released water into the river without issuing any warning.

The BBMB authorities and the district administration have got into a blame game over the matter. Yesterday, as the repair work began at Anandpur Sahib hydel channel, the water level suddenly rose, catching the residents by surprise. In the evening, the water level rose so much that the shuttering of a bridge that was under construction at Burj village was damaged.

When the villagers raised an alarm, Anandpur Sahib Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amarjit Bains reached the spot. He then asked the BBMB authorites to stop the release of water.

Bains said the administration was informed about it in the afternoon due to which the residents could not be informed in time. The BBMB authorities, however, denied the allegations. DK Gupta, BBMB Water Regulation Director, said the office of the SDE, water regulation, and Additional Superintending Engineer, Nangal Dam Division, informed the district administration officials on December 27.