Heavy rain in areas of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab has caused a sudden increase in water levels, inundating a number of villages along the Beas river in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts. With unabated rain in Himachal's hill districts, huge amounts of water have been discharged from the Pong Dam, causing apprehension of flood-like situation in Punjab's low-lying areas.
Water released from Pong Dam
Chief Engineer Rakesh Gupta of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) at Talwara Pong Dam confirmed that the level of water in the dam has been hit by a critical stage. To ease the pressure, officials have let out 18,000 cusecs through the tunnels of the dam and 42,000 cusecs through floodgates, making a total of 60,000 cusecs of water.
Gupta clarified that all releases are being carried out under the rules set by the Central Water Commission (CWC). Preparations were already in place, and meetings with TMC officials were held to ensure coordination. Since the water level has risen beyond the permissible limit, controlled release was necessary,” he explained.
Measures to safeguard villagers
To inform local people, public announcement systems have been set up in various sensitive zones such as Paral, Mand Bhograwa, Re Khas, and Riali. In addition to this, BBMB teams are regularly patrolling, while district administrations had been previously informed about the upcoming water release.
Gupta also cautioned against false rumors on social media regarding the safety of the dam. "Those who provide false information should be dealt with severely under the IT Act," he warned, saying that people do not have to worry as water is being released in a controlled fashion.
In the meantime, villagers in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur towns along the Beas river reported water rising into fields and houses, causing difficulties for villagers. Villagers opine that the situation has become more severe during the last two days when rain has been pouring in without interruption.
