Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, September 7
Deficient rainfall this monsoon in Punjab and Himachal has resulted in low water levels in Bhakra and Pong Dams. Experts suggest this may lead to less release of water in canals for irrigation purposes next year during Rabi season.
According to irrigation department officials, Punjab and Himachal have recorded a deficiency of 24 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively, for this entire season so far. Water released from Bhakra is considered the lifeline of the Malwa belt in Punjab and many parts of Rajasthan.
As per official records, the water level of Bhakra Dam stood at 1,629 ft on September 4 as compared to 1,659 ft last year. Its capacity is 1,685 ft.
“Water level in Bhakra is 30 ft lower than the last year and 56 ft lower than the maximum level. Similarly, the water level of Pong Dam stood at 1,344.6 ft as compared to 1,374.6 ft on the same day last year,” said All India Power Engineers Federation spokesman VK Gupta.
“The capacity of Pong Dam is 1,400 ft. This time, the water level is 30 ft less than last year and 55.4 ft less than the maximum level,” he added.
Officials confirm that the target for filling the Bhakra reservoir is 1,650 ft on July 31, while it is 1,670 ft on August 15 and 1,680 ft on August 31. “Due to the low water levels of Bhakra and Pong dams, full water is not being released into the canals,” they say.
According to a central water commission bulletin dated September 2, the overall water level in eight reservoirs of northern region is just 54 per cent of the total live storage, whereas this figure was 76 per cent last year.
The storage at Bhakra Dam is 73 per cent, while at Pong reservoir is 58 per cent of the normal storage for the year. “Low rainfall and reservoir levels are likely to damage food production, pushing inflation and also threatening power production. The normal filling season for the reservoir ends on September 20,” claims an irrigation official.
Mainly Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan use Bhakra’s water for irrigation and drinking purposes. Officials say it is high time the state governments chalk out a strategy to reduce dependency on Bhakra for irrigation and instead replace it with “sprinkler or drip irrigation” systems.
Deficit rain lowers Bhakra level, to hit crops in 3 states
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