Bhakra flood gates to be opened today

Tribune News Service

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Ropar, August 9 

Keeping in view the heavy inflow of water at Bhakra Dam today, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities have decided to open flood gates tomorrow. 

A letter issued to the district authorities by the BBMB stated that for the safety of Bhakra Dam, water up to 50,000 cusec will be released downstream of the Nangal Dam at 11 am tomorrow.

Today, the water level at the dam was 1661.10 ft at 2 pm. According to protocol, the level of water had to be maintained between 1,665 and 1,667 ft by August 15. The dam is supposed to be filled up to its maximum storage capacity of 1,680 feet in a regulated manner during filling period from May 21 to September 20.

The water — after its release from the dam — will take nearly two hours to reach Anandpur Sahib and eight hours to reach Ropar.

The release of the water by the BBMB will worsen the situation in nearly one dozen villages near Anandpur Sahib where fields have already been inundated for the past many days due to heavy flow in the Swan river. 

Today, there was a spurt again in the flow of the Swan. The water flooded houses at Mataur, Burj, Lodhipur, Dasgrain, Hariwal, Ballowal, Mehndli Kalan, Lower Baddal, Nikkuwal and Chandpur Bela villages.

The Swan river, which had a mere 7,000 cusecs in the morning, recorded a flow of 52,414 cusecs at 2 pm. This coupled with 14,500 cusecs being released in the Sutlej by the BBMB flooded the villages.

Anandpur Sahib SDM Amarjit Bains said that all the relief teams and motorboats were ready to take up rescue operations. The residents of affected villages have been asked to shift to relief camps set up by the district authorities or to safer places of their choice.