Bhakra level dips, output cut by 20%

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 30

The available storage in the reservoir at Bhakra Dam, which is crucial for supply of water for drinking and irrigation in the region, as well as for power generation, has plummeted to just eight per cent of its total capacity.

The low water level has adversely impacted power generation as well as release of water for irrigation to the beneficiary states in the region. Against a target of 1,337 million units for till date in the current fiscal, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has generated 1,080 million units, accounting for a reduction of about 20 per cent in production, sources said.

Last year, the BBMB had generated 1,909 million units during this period. On Friday morning, the water level recorded in the reservoir at Bhakra Dam that lies on the Sutlej, was 1,505.30 feet as compared to 1,561.16 feet on the same day last year. According to sources, the water level has fallen below this only on two occasions in the past 16 years, in 2009 and 2018.

At Pong Dam, that lies on the Beas, the level recorded was 1,298.57 feet against 1,345.58 feet last year. The maximum permissible level at Bhakra and Pong is 1,680 feet and 1,390 feet, respectively. The level at Thein Dam, which lies on the Ravi and is controlled by the Punjab Irrigation Department, the level was 1,652.65 feet. Last year it was 1,679.88 feet.

Data released by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on May 27 reveals that departure from the past 10-year average of water storage is minus 59 per cent for dams in Himachal and minus 34 per cent for Punjab. The current storage in the reservoir at Bhakra is 0.524 billion cubic metre (BCM), which is eight per cent of its total capacity of 6.229 BCM. The storage was 22 per cent at this time last year.

The current storage at Pong is 14 per cent as compared to 48 per cent last year, while at Thein it is 34 per cent against 51 per cent last year.