Allaying apprehensions over reports of China constructing dam on the river Brahmaputra, External Affairs Minister, S M Krishna said India has instituted a mechanism of expert level talks and water resources between the two countries. The mechanism would focus on issues such as, exchange of feeder control data and emergency response management in Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, he said.

Chandigarh: Over 700 acres of Nangal wetland spread over six villages would be converted into a wildlife sanctuary. Punjab Minister for Forests and Wildlife Tikshan Sud recently visited these villages to gather community support for the project.

Ropar: A large number of fish were found dead in the Sirsa-Nangal River today evening. Villagers from nearby Avankot village raised hue and cry on seeing a large number of fish floating dead on the surface of the river near the Sutlej-Sirsa confluence.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for hydrological data sharing between the government of Himachal Pradesh and various projects on different river basins in the state here today.

The spectre of drought looms large over eight Haryana districts facing acute water shortage.

There was shortfall of about 7,000 cusecs of water per day as the supply from the Sutlej and Yamuna canal water schemes has dropped to 50 per cent.

Aquatic life safe, tests underway on april 24, 7,000 litres of heavy furnace oil leaked into the Sutlej river after a pipeline burst at the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant at Ropar in Punjab. A senior plant official said the welding in the pipeline could have given way due to heat and fatigue. Water samples collected by the Punjab Pollution Control Board found oil and

Patiala: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has confirmed that oil spillage in the Ghanauli drain, which connects to the Satluj, occurred not because of negligence but was an accidental breakdown of metallic pipeline of furnace oil.

Sources in the PSEB said the staff of Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant was taking measures to avoid such incidents in future.

No end to pollution of rivers

Ropar (Punjab): A Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) team has taken samples of water and plants from Sutlej river in Punjab to evaluate the damage caused by a furnace oil spill after a thermal power plant pipeline burst two days ago, officials said on Sunday.

A pit, about 35 feet deep and 35 feet wide, has developed near Sukkur Barrage