Shimla: The inflow of water into Himachal Pradesh`s Pong dam again increased marginally Monday due to rainfall, but the authorities said there was no need for worry as the reservoir still has capacity to withhold additional water.
"The inflow increased this (Monday) morning to more than 18,000 cusecs against Sunday`s 8,000 cusecs," K.C. Rana of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) told reporters over telephone.
He said in the past few days the inflow was between 5,000 cusecs and 8,000 cusecs.
The Pong dam is located along the Punjab border, about 250 km from state capital Shimla. It fulfils the irrigation requirements of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
"Now we are discharging 18,000 cusecs daily through normal operation of turbines. The spillways were closed Sep 16 after remaining open for three days to flush out excess water," he said.
For the first time in 15 years, the spillways were opened as a precautionary measure Sep 14 as the water level touched 1,394.25 ft. At that time, the daily inflow was more than 65,000 cusecs.
The water level was 1,393.14 ft Monday morning but the dam can store water up to 1,395 ft.
"We are constantly the situation. If there is heavy rainfall in the catchments of the dam, then the spill gates would be re-opened," another BBMB official said.
The met office in Shimla said some areas in the state are likely to witness heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.
One of the largest manmade wetlands in northern India, the Pong dam reservoir is spread over an area of 41 km with a maximum width of 19 km. It came into existence after the construction of a dam on the Beas river in 1975.
IANS
