Chandigarh: Apprehensive over the delay in monsoon in Northern region, Bhakra Beas Management Board on Monday said the water inflow into Bhakra and Pong dams was lower than what it had been in corresponding period last year.
The water inflow at present in Bhakra stands at 32,000 cusecs against 46,800 cusecs in corresponding period last year. Similarly, the water inflow in Pong dam is 5,200 cusecs which is also less than the inflow of 18,400 cusecs it received last year, a senior BBMB official said.
He said they were continuously monitoring the situation, however, "there was no need to panic about the current situation prevailing in the Northern region."
Senior officials at the BBMB said they will take a call on holding an emergency meeting on July 4 with partnering states (Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan) to review water release for irrigation.
"We are continuously monitoring the situation. So far, we still have not decided to hold (an emergency) meeting with partnering states. But we will decide on July 4 whether to hold meeting while considering factors like rain till then," the official told PTI here.
"There was no need to panic about the current situation prevailing in the northern region," he said.
BBMB official sources said if rain lashes the northern region or the catchment areas of Bhakra and Pong dams in next one or two days, then there may not be any requirement to hold the emergency meeting as the situation will ease.
The meeting called as Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) in which representatives of partnering states are present, is usually held during the last week of every month to decide about release of water to partnering states for irrigation purposes.
Expressing concern over the deficient rain, Punjab`s Irrigation Chief Engineer, Amarjit Singh Dullat said if rains do not occur as projected then situation may turn worrisome for the state as farm sector requires water for irrigation.
Partnering states require continuous water supply from BBMB for crop sowing of especially paddy and cotton in ongoing kharif season.
BBMB last month had agreed to release water to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan as per their requirements.
Punjab is getting water supply of about 26,000 cusecs while Haryana and Rajasthan are receiving 10,000 cusecs and about 11,000 cusecs respectively.
The outflow of water for irrigation is 29,500 cusecs from Bhakra and 14,700 cusecs from Pong dam.
The water level in Bhakra reservoir stands at 1,535 feet as on today while it was 1,597 feet on the same day last year. In Pong dam also, the water level is 1,290 feet against 1,351 feet last year. The per day power generation also stands at 423 lakh units at Bhakra.
Bhakra and Pong dam observe water filling period from May 21 and June 21 respectively and it goes on till September 20.
PTI
