Kaushalya Dam water level up, floodgates opened

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 2

Three of the six floodgates of Kaushalya Dam had to be opened after the water level touched the danger mark of 478 m due to incessant rain in upper areas. No damage due to the opening of floodgates was reported from low-lying areas.

The Irrigation Department claimed that they had issued a warning beforehand to the people of low-lying areas such as Amravati Enclave, DLF Valley, Rampur Seuri and parts of NH-22 about the possibility of floods as they were releasing 2,70,000 cusecs of water.

Munish Kumar, SDO, Kaushalya Dam, said, “The floodgates were lifted to a height of 10 cm for two hours and a half. If the water level rises again, we will have to open floodgates again.”

The level of the Ghaggar usually rises when water is released from the dam.

However, officials claimed that the river was currently flowing at low level. The incessant rain in September 2018 had filled up not only the Kaushalya Dam reservoir to the danger mark but also flooded the Ghaggar.

On July 29, the district administration had issued orders under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, for taking precautions in view of the forecast of rains, which may lead to an increase in the water level of the Ghaggar and its tributaries.

The dam was constructed in 2012 with the primary purpose of water supply to Panchkula city.