The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on late Tuesday night decided not to release waters from the Pong Dam into the Beas river. The decision came after a respite from rains reduced the inflow into the reservoir and kept the water level within permissible limits.
"But we are monitoring the situation constantly," said a Punjab government spokesperson.
Opening the sluice gates of dams in the Bhakra Beas system is always a touchy subject in Punjab. When incessant and heavy downpour for days resulted in the Bhakra Dam waters being released in 1988, the then chairman of BBMB, Major General B.N. Kumar, was gunned down by angry militants—they blamed him for causing floods in Punjab.
This time, the water level in the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej river has risen only by about four feet over the last two days, and continues to be well below the danger level. But it is raining in the mountains up in Himachal Pradesh and the water rose to a dangerous level in Pong Dam.
Earlier on Tuesday, the countdown for the release of excess waters from the Pong Dam had begun as the water level rose by more than 11 feet in less than 36 hours. The waters—more than 50,000 cusecs—reached the danger mark last night. However, a respite in rains on Tuesday kept the water level in permissible limit, prompting the authorities to defer their plan to open the shutters.
A sunny Tuesday morning notwithstanding, the Punjab government had declared a state emergency, shut down schools and colleges and prepared people to deal with any eventuality that may arise when the sluice valves are opened. The Amarinder Singh government had also directed officers and other staff to remain on standby for the next 72 hours.
Sources in Shimla said the worry was more on account of the debris—because of construction on the slopes—that the waters may carry. They could choke the reservoirs as well as the water tunnels.
Revenue officials in Punjab have already estimated a 25 per cent crop loss on account of the rains of last week.
