Pong Dam water level rises by 7 ft in 24 hrs; Punjab gets 67% of month’s rain in just 2 days

The entire state has been put on high alert.

Punjab has received 67% of the month’s (July) rain in just two days, while Haryana and Chandigarh got 38% and 127%, respectively, of the normal rain required in the entire month (July) in the last couple of days.

The water level of Pong Dam on Beas River rose by 7 feet in a single day. It was 1,337.40 feet on Saturday morning, while on Sunday 7 pm the water level of the dam touched 1,344.33 feet – which is an increase of 7 feet in just a day. The water inflow in the dam was recorded at 3,37,411 cusecs on Sunday evening against 31,449 cusecs on Sunday morning. But the authorities have not released any water from the dam due to heavy rain downstream and also because the dam water level is still quite below the maximum level.

At Bhakra and Ranjit Sagar dams, 62,967 cusecs and 27,913 cusecs of water inflow, respectively, was recorded on Sunday morning, while 22,442 cusecs and 410 cusecs of water, respectively, was released from these two dams on Sunday.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh centre, in 24 hours from July 8 morning to July 9 morning, Chandigarh received 302.2 mm rainfall which is even more than the normal rain required in Chandigarh in the entire July month. In July the normal rain required in Chandigarh is 278.5 mm. In this rainy season, which started in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on June 1, Chandigarh has recorded 518.6 mm rainfall from June 1 to July 9, while the normal rain required for Chandigarh is 216.2 mm.

In Punjab and Haryana, the normal required rain for July month is 169.4 mm and 154.1 mm, respectively, but both the states have already received 113 mm and 58.7 mm rainfall, from July 1 to July 9 morning, respectively.

In 24 hours (July 8 morning to July 9 morning in Punjab) the maximum rain recorded in Ropar near Nangal dam was 282.5 mm followed by Bullowal Saunkri in Nawanshahr 270 mm, Tehri Gurdaspur 245 mm, Madhopur in Pathankot 187 mm, Sri Anandpur Sahib 185 mm, Dhariwal in Gurdaspur 167 mm, Malikpur in Pathankot 153 mm, Kharar in Mohali 143.7 mm, Nawanshahr 141.2 mm, Gurdaspur 141.2 mm, Shahpur Kandi in Pathankot 138.8 mm, Aliwal in Gurdaspur 127 mm, Ferozepur 125 mm, Mukerian 124 mm, Balachaur 122.2 mm, Ranjit Sagar Dam in Pathankot 115.2 mm, Valtoha in Tarn Taran 105 mm, Manihala in Ludhiana 100 mm, Amritsar 98.3 mm, Kapurthala 95 mm, Rajpur in Patiala and Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur 85 mm, Bathinda 75 mm, Ludhiana 73 mm, Jalandhar 61 mm and Bathinda recorded 50 mm rainfall.

In Haryana too, Yamuna Nagar recorded 246 mm rainfall, Kalka 244 mm, Panchkula 239 mm, Ambala 224 mm, Wazirabad in Gurugram 149 mm, Kurukshetra 138 mm, Adampur in Hisar 130 mm, Indri in Karnal 128 mm, Rai in Sonipat 119 mm, Beri in Jhajjar 82 mm, Madlauda in Panipat 77 mm, Faridabad and Gurugram recorded 71 mm, while Nuh recorded 48 mm rainfall, according to the IMD.

The water level of the Sutlej, Beas and Ghaggar rivers is also continuously rising. The water level in Sutlej River has risen significantly due to the release of water from the Ropar Headworks. People in the surrounding areas are facing difficulties due to inadequate drainage system.

The IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rain in Doaba and east Malwa region of Punjab on July 10, while the same prediction has been made for north Haryana and south and south-east Haryana areas.

On Sunday, a flood-like situation was seen in more than three dozen villages of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts, which had also witnessed the worst floods in August 2019 when about 25,000 acres of paddy crops got submerged under 2-3 feet water.

Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal on Sunday visited Giddarpindi and Jania Chahal to take stock of the dire situation. Cabinet Minister Balkar Singh said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already put him to manage the flood-hit areas along with Seechewal.

While speaking to The Indian Express, sarpanch of Giddarpindi Kulwant Singh said that the floods in 2019 had caused huge damage, and now the water in Sutlej River is posing a threat. The Sutlej River is expected to receive approximately 2.50 lakh cusecs of water by Monday morning (July 10). Around 1.50 lakh cusecs of water has been released from Ropar Headworks into the downstream of the river. Additionally, there are several local nullahs and rivulets along the way that will contribute their water to the Sutlej as it travels from Ropar to Jalandhar.