Jalandhar, August 20
As the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has informed the Punjab Government regarding the opening of floodgates of the Gobintingd Sagar reservoir at the Bhakra Dam shortly, the district administration has sounded an alert in villages along the Sutlej in Phillaur, Nakodar and Shahkot subdivisions.
Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti said today that:
Former deputy speaker and Akali leader Bir Devinder Singh said on Wednesday the mechanism to deal with a possible flood situation should be checked in advance in the wake of rising levels of reservoirs of the Bhakra Dam in Nangal.
The Bhakra-Beas Management Board has sounded its intent to increase the discharge of water following continuing rainfall leading to unacceptably high levels in its reservoirs.
There is urgent need for publicly known norms of transparency and accountability in operation of reservoirs that are like time bombs that can explode multiple times. Bhakra exploded in 1988, Ukai in Gujarat did in Aug 2006, Hirakud did in Sep 2008, Srisailam, Tungabhadra, Upper Krishna and Damodar dams did in Sep 2009. The wrong operation of Bhakra, Pong and Tehri reservoirs in 2010 lead to avoidable floods in the downstream areas.
Hardening its stand on the state’s “rightful” 7.19 per cent share in Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal conveyed it to the Centre on Wednesday that nothing less than its legitimate share would be acceptable to the state.
Chandigarh: After being down for months, the water levels of the Bhakra and Pong dams in Himachal Pradesh are looking up and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is increasingly becoming confident of meeting the irrigation needs of farmers in Punjab and Haryana this paddy season.
Chandigarh: Haryana is parched. Water supply from the Bhakra dam is down to nearly half of what was available last year, the rotational supply is being released every 32 days against 16 days, seven of the 21 districts are grappling with water woes. As if that
Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has sought assistance worth Rs 1,000 crore from the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for eight projects in the state.
