In view of low level of water in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has asked…
Bhakra Beas Management Board chairman addressing a Press conference in Chandigarh. (Photo: Pardeep Saini)
In view of low level of water in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has asked partner states to conserve and utilise monsoon water to the maximum possible extent.
The advisory follows a high-level meeting called by the BBMB with the principal secretaries of partner states for irrigation ~ Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
The BBMB informed the officials that there was 11 per cent deficient monsoon in catchment area of Satluj and Beas rivers in Himachal Pradesh and normal rains in Punjab and Haryana.
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“Keeping in view the low level of water storage in reservoirs and deficient rainfall in catchment area, BBMB asked partner states to conserve and utilise monsoon water to the maximum possible extent so that water releases from the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs could be minimised and water could be stored for utilisation during the depletion period starting 21 September 2018,” an official spokesperson said.
“As on date, reservoir level of Pong and Bhakra are lower by 44.18 feet and 63.43 feet respectively compared to the water level on the same day last year,” the official added.
“Considering the critical situation, BBMB is closely monitoring water level in both reservoirs, the present trend of inflows and releases from the dams are being decided on day to day basis after accounting for the additional run-off generated at Ropar and Harike headworks, due to monsoon rains from the catchment area downstream of both the dams,” the spokesman said.
During the meeting held at BBMB Headquarter at Chandigarh, BBMB chairman, DK Sharma requested principal secretary Punjab, Jaspal Singh, principal secretary Rajasthan, Shikhar Agarwal and engineer-in-chief of Haryana, Virender Singh, to issue advisory to all the stake holder to use monsoon rain water optimally and judiciously to the maximum extent to further meet the water demands of these stake holders in coming depletion period starting from 21 September.
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