Low water level delays Bhakra Dam inspection

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ropar, August 7

A low water level in the reservoirs of Bhakra Dam, Pong Dam and Thein Dam has impeded the plans of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to carry out a low-level inspection of the Bhakra Dam. This is the second time when the board has deferred the inspection.

Last year, the board had decided to deplete the water level in the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs for inspection in April this year.

However, the partner states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan objected to it, citing a high demand of water. The inspection was carried out only at the Pong Dam, while this exercise for Bhakra Dam was deferred to next year.

The inspection will require bringing the level of the Bhakra Dam reservoir to its dead-storage level of 1,462 ft against the maximum storage capacity of 1,680 ft so that the experts can check the condition of the trash racks, penstocks, river outlets and other submerged installations. Such an inspection was carried out three decades ago at the 53 year-old dam.

As the level in all three reservoirs is already too low, the board cannot take the risk of depleting it at the Bhakra Dam in April next year, said a senior BBMB official.