Pong Dam turns perilous as waters surge beyond limits

The unprecedented rise in the water level of Pong Dam has unleashed fresh turmoil in Fatehpur and Indora tehsils, submerging areas that had never before witnessed flooding since the dam’s construction in the early 1970s. With inflows breaking all previous records this monsoon, the reservoir has spilled over its natural boundaries, cutting off dozens of low-lying villages.

In Guler, an under-construction bridge now lies submerged, snapping vital road links to Nandpur, Barial, Luderet Katholi, Sugnara and Nagrota Surian. The swelling Gaj river, pushed back by the dam’s waters, has further blocked access to Amlela and Ghar Jarot, leaving residents dependent on Nagrota Surian virtually stranded. Local mobility has almost ground to a halt.

The rising waters have also swallowed the legendary Bathu temples, which briefly appear during dry months.

Adding to the community’s woes, the newly inaugurated Eco Park at Dehra, a Forest Department initiative, has been inundated. Divisional Forest Officer Sunny Verma said the park has been shut to visitors for safety. “Backwaters have entered the premises, forcing us to remove swings, statues and other installations as a precaution,” he explained. With upstream rainfall still feeding the reservoir, authorities remain on high alert.