Controlled water release from Pong Dam begins, alert sounded

With the water level of Pong Dam in Kangra district rising to 1,372 feet, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has begun controlled release of 20,000 cusecs of water through the gates and spillways of the dam on Wednesday evening. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure amid continuous inflow due to heavy rain in the catchment areas of Beas river and water discharge from Pandoh Dam in Mandi district.

The local tributaries like Dehar Khud, Buhal Khud and Dehri Khud were also in spate, further contributing to the inflow of water in Pong Dam.

The maximum storage capacity of the dam is 1,410 feet, with 1,390 feet marked as the danger level. Normally, in general practice, the BBMB authorities release water when it's level crosses 1,365 feet.

The district administrations of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh and Hoshiarpur in Punjab were on high alert.

The District Magistrate of Hoshiarpur Aashika Jain said, “We are continuously monitoring the water levels of all dams, including the Pong Dam. We have received information from the BBMB that they are going to open the floodgates of Pong Dam and release water. I want to alert everyone that there is no need to panic. These are routine measures taken during the monsoon season".

The District Magistrate of Kangra Hemraj Bairwa said that he has instructed the BBMB authorities to release the water slowly and gradually in a controlled manner so that the low-lying areas do not get flooded. "I hope that this time the water will not flow out of the Beas river's course," he claimed.

However, the DM Kangra said that the local authorities were on high alert in case of any eventuality.

Bairwa said the pre-emptive step of controlled water release would avert large-scale damage and ensure safer regulation of the reservoir during peak monsoon inflows.

The SDMs of Fatehpur and Indora in Kangra district monitored the situation closely, regularly inspecting their respective areas. The BBMB authorities also deployed its vehicles to make public announcements, alerting residents about the potential risks. Early warning sirens were sounded well in advance to ensure public safety before releasing the water.

The hooters were installed at Rey, Sthana, Sansarpur Terrace and Riyali areas of the Kangra district to issue red alerts in case of any emergency.

The SDM of Fatehpur, Vishrut Bharti told the local media that no damage was reported so far. The residents of low-lying areas had been asked to remain vigilant, he said.

The BBMB had already issued a public notice on Tuesday, informing about the controlled release of water. The dam gates were opened after continuous siren warnings.