Flood fear looms over Kangra as Pong Dam nears full capacity

Relentless rainfall across Kangra’s upper hills and plains over the past 48 hours has pushed the Pong Dam reservoir dangerously close to its danger mark, triggering alarm in villages along the Beas. By Monday evening, the water level had touched 1,386 feet, barely four feet short of the 1,390 feet threshold set by the Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 1,410 feet.

The BBMB, which monitors and manages the dam, was compelled to release nearly 59,000 cusecs of water into the Beas on Monday, discharging in hourly intervals. The move was taken to prevent the dam from breaching safe limits, but it has heightened anxiety among the people of Indora and Fatehpur subdivisions, particularly those in low-lying mand areas.

According to official data, the reservoir level stood at 1,383.82 feet at midnight on Sunday, with an inflow of 1,41,803 cusecs and an outflow of 35,466 cusecs. However, by 12 noon on Monday, the level had surged to 1,385.21 feet, and by 4 pm it touched 1,385.81 feet. The sudden rise forced the BBMB to enhance discharge, worsening fears in downstream villages already struggling with flood-like conditions. For nearly a week now, agricultural land, standing crops and private property in these areas have been battered by the recurring outflow.

Indora SDM Surinder Thakur confirmed that five of the 17 mand panchayats —Surdwan, Bhogarwan, Milwan, Indora and Palakh — remain the most vulnerable. He cautioned that the continued downpour could further swell the reservoir overnight, leading to increased discharges. “The administration is on high alert to ensure public safety. Both NDRF and SDRF teams are ready for immediate response,” he told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, the BBMB, in a press statement issued Monday evening, announced plans for even higher discharges on Tuesday. Between 5 am and 9 am, the dam authorities will release water five times, with outflow rates escalating from 68,000 to 75,000 cusecs through its spillways and turbines.

For the farming communities along the Beas, this announcement has brought little comfort. With fields already waterlogged and homes threatened, the growing fear is not only of rising waters but also of losing livelihoods to nature’s fury. The coming hours, officials warn, will be critical.