More water for Rajasthan, more power for Punjab, Haryana
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 15
Water from the Himalayas is set to slake the thirst of the desert fields of Rajasthan this summer with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) releasing five lakh cusecs days of more water than its stipulated share to the state.

While Rajasthan is set to have more water, Punjab and Haryana are likely to gain on the power front. Bhakra will step up power production as the BBMB has already crossed its targets till December 2008 and is likely to produce 10,000 lakh unit (lu) more than its target of one lakh lu for this financial year.

With sufficient water reserves, BBMB is likely to produce 5,000 lu more than its target in the first half of the next fiscal year. The reason for this twin cheer is the fact that both the Bhakra and Pong dams are comfortably placed as far their water levels are concerned. With snowfall being reported in the upper Himalayas, steady streams are flowing into the Bhakra, with an inflow of 2,300 cusecs being reported yesterday.

Rajasthan, whose share was calculated at an average of 9,000 cusecs from January 1 to June 20, is presently drawing around 10,750 cusecs. Earlier, from September to December, it was drawing 13,200 cusecs.

BBMB chairman UC Mishra, while talking to the Tribune disclosed that Rajasthan as well as Punjab and Haryana had been intimated that they should not hesitate to withdraw the water needed for irrigation purposes. He said the water level was very comfortable in both reservoirs. Mishra said Rajasthan was expected to benefit the most because it had been unable to withdraw its stipulated share in the projects due to low dam levels last year.

Bhakra has a water level of 1632 feet at present against a level of 1603 feet during the same period last year. Pong has a level of 1356 feet right now against a level of 1308 feet during this time last year. The heavy monsoon rainfall had allowed the dam authorities to fill up both dams to the maximum level permissible. Bhakra was at 1680 feet at the end of the monsoon reason, while Pong was at 1390 feet.

According to another BBMB official, MK Gupta, moderate snowfall was being reported from the upper reaches in Himachal Pradesh. Although the Chinese authorities have not shared data on the snowfall in their area, which forms two third of the catchment area of the Sutlej river, it is expected to be normal considering present trends. In case of Pong dam, there has been less than moderate snowfall in its catchment area in Himachal but dam authorities expect this to normalise in the coming days.