Water level in Sutlej increases, alert sounded in Moga district

Kulwinder Sandhu

Moga, October 16

Hundreds of acres of agricultural land within the embankment areas of Sutlej river in Moga and Ferozepur districts submerged on Sunday evening. A sudden release of water was reported from the Bhakra Dam.

The standing crop of paddy, vegetables and fodder was affected as the fields were inundated. The district administration of Moga has claimed that no loss to human lives and livestock was reported but crops could be affected in some areas.

Moga District Magistrate Kulwant Singh said he has sounded an alert in the low-lying areas along the river belt. “I have asked the SDM of Dharamkot and officials of the irrigation department to keep an eye on the situation and take all precautionary measures for the safety of human live and livestock,” he said.

The level of water in the agricultural fields in Sanghera, Madarpur, Melak Kanga, Rehrwan, Kamoh Kalan, Kamoh Khurd, Mehruwala, Sherewala and few other adjoining villages has increased by 2 feet to 3 feet, said Jaswinder Singh a resident of Takhtuwala village situated on the banks of Sutlej River.

The Assistant Executive Engineer of the irrigation department Gursimran Singh Gill said 15,000 cusecs of water was reported in the Sutlej River downstream of Ropar, which has created a little bit of trouble in the low lying areas along the river belt. He said the water level will start receding from October 19 onwards. Until then, the people living within the embankment areas and in the low-lying areas must be alert, he said.

Meanwhile, as per an information available from the Bhakra Dam the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities on October 10 released water downstream at the rate of 13,882 cubic feet per second when the inflow of water from the upstream areas was at the rate of 14,488 cubic feet per second.

Similarly, on October 11 water was released at the rate of 14,488 cubic feet per second while the inflow was 17,405 cubic feet per second. On October 12, water was released at the rate of 19,119 cubic feet per second while the inflow was 17,952 cubic feet per second. On October 13, water was released at the rate of 28,618 cubic feet per second while the inflow was 23,367 cubic feet per second. On October 14, water was released at the rate of 30,042 cubic feet per second while the inflow was 19,733 cubic feet per second.

The water level at Bhakra Dam on October 11 was 1673.90 feet, on October 12 it was 1673.84 feet, on October 13 it was 1673.57 feet and on October 14 it was 1673.04 feet.

The former MLA of Dharamkot sub-division, Sukhjeet Singh alias Kaka Lohgarh claimed that the paddy crop on hundreds of acres of land has been damaged due to flood-like situation. “The Punjab government must order a girdawari and give adequate compensation to the affected farmers,” he demanded.