Pong spillage continues,inflow reduced

Vinod Kumar Gupta
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
CHANDIGARH: The inflow of water in Pong Dam has been reduced from 1.85 lacs cusecs on Monday to 33000 cusecs today but the spillways were still open as a safety precaution.
According to sources the water level in reservoir is 1394.5 feet and BBMB authorities are likely to maintain this level. The outflow will be matched with the inflows. The spillage from Bhakra Dam also continues.

Meanwhile A B Aggarwal Chairman BBMB has gone to Japan along with V B Bassi Member Power to attend some commercial committee meeting. A senior official said that BBMB chairman should not have left India for one week to attend a routine meeting at this crucial juncture when there is spillage from Bhakra Dam and Pong Dam. Incidentally in 1988 when there was flooding in Punjab due to opening of Bhakra floodgates then BBMB Chairman was also abroad

The water inflow in the Pong reservoir is 33000 cusecs and 18000 cusecs is being released through turbine blades of six units and balance 15000 cusecs through spillway.

Senior BBMB officials and retired experts are of opinion that the excuse of so called tilting of Bhakra is not valid and filling can be achieved upto 1685 ft.Pong Dam is designed for 1422 ft so it can be filled beyond 1395 as full level is 1400.

Such measures would require extra alertness and prompt response on part of BBMB management in case of any sudden inflows at Bhakra and Pong during the next 10-15 days,for which the top management should have been available to enable fast decisions if required.As the monsoon is tapering down,this is the time to achieve optimum filling of the two dams