Inflow declines but water release from Pong Dam still high

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, August 18

The water level of the Pong Dam reservoir decreased to 1,394.31 feet today which was below the danger mark of 1,395 feet. The BBMB released 1,06,823 cusecs of water from the Pong dam.

Village inundated

• Neelma village is still under five-feet water
• The entire infrastructure at Neelma and Ulehrian farms of the Agriculture Department have been damaged due to floods
• Agriculture and horticulture crops of people in the area are still submerged
• The entire paddy crop in Neelma panchayat was washed away in floods

Sources said that the BBMB would continue to release water from the Pong Dam for about another week. The displaced villagers living downstream of the Pong Dam would be able to return to their houses only after water release declines to about 50,000 cusecs, they said.

Meanwhile, inflow into the reservoir dipped to 44,995 cusecs. However, the BBMB would continue to rlease excess water from the reservoir because of the fear of more rain in coming days and increased water inflows.

Most of the affected areas were still under water. All roads in flood-affected areas were inundated.

Most of 2,052 people, who were rescued from the flood-affected areas of Indora and Fatehpur in Kangra district in the past four days, have shifted from camps set up by the district administration in the Damtal temple and the Radha Soami sect building in Fatehpur. Both facilities were lying vacant. The officials present in the makeshift camps said that people had left these facilities and shifted to the houses of their relatives and friends in adjoining areas.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Nipun Jindal, when asked, said that the administration had arranged for lodging and food of the displaced villagers. They have, however, left the camps and preferred to stay with their kin and friends in adjoining areas.

Jindal said villagers would be allowed to return to their homes after the water recedes in the Beas. The BBMB has said that the release of water from the Pong Dam would remain high at least for another week even if rain halts in the catchment areas of the Beas.

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#Bhakra Beas Management Board BBMB #Dharamsala