Rising Beas in Kangra district triggers alarm as Pong discharges surge

Relentless rainfall in the catchment area of the Beas in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district led to a sharp rise in water levels at the Pong Dam on Thursday. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), managing the dam, was forced to release water at regular intervals through spillway gates and turbines to manage the inflow.

Although the BBMB had pre-informed the Kangra district administration on Wednesday about plans to release 40,000 cusecs of water at 6 am on Thursday, by 6 pm, over 3.44 lakh cusecs had already been discharged in 10 rounds. This unexpected volume triggered panic and anxiety among residents in downstream areas, particularly Indora and Fatehpur subdivisions in the lower Kangra region.

A rumour about a breach in the dhussi (embankment) at Bela Thakran village in Fatehpur escalated fears. However, the local administration swiftly denied the claim and urged residents to rely only on official updates.

According to BBMB data shared with the state government, the reservoir water level fluctuated between 1374 and 1376 feet throughout the day. At 6 am, with an inflow of 96,965 cusecs, the level stood at 1374.82 feet. By 6 pm, it had risen to 1375.72 feet, with an inflow of 89,995 cusecs.

The repeated discharges led to flooding in Bhadukhar’s riverbank areas, disrupting the river’s natural course. Indora SDM Surinder Thakur confirmed the evacuation of some Gujjar families from Mand Bhogarwan and Bahadpur villages as a precaution. He appealed to the public to remain calm but alert during further water releases from the Pong Dam.