Today, BBMB to release extra water for partner states; Rajasthan may get benefit of this
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ June 23,2023
Director Water Regulation, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has issue a letter to the state irrigation, drainage department with copy to deputy commissioners of Ropar, Ludhiana and Ferozepur and SDMs of concerned areas to make the required preparation as they are going to release extra water today at 2:00 pm.
As per the letter, BBMB is going to release 26,840 cuses today at 2:00 pm from Bhakra, out of this 5000 cuses of water may have to be released downstream Nangal Dam in Satluj river. The total release in River Satluj including downstream Nangal Dam, Khads, escapes through Nakkian , Lohand escapes and Ropar Thermal Plant may go upto 20,000 cuses. The discharge in river Satluj downstream Lohand may go up 28000 cuses for certain period.
Now, the twist in this whole is that the extra released water flow in the River Satluj will increase and that water will flow towards Harike. At Harike there is a confluence point, where River Satluj and Beas met. From Harika , the water is released in the Rajasthan Feeder (known in Punjab area) / Indira Gandhi Canal (known in Rajasthan area) which takes water to Rajasthan and the left over water is released in Hussainiwala feeder , if required, which further goes to Pakistan. Indira Gandhi Canal has a total capacity of 18000 cuses. Earlier it was closed for repair, but now it is opened and carrying water to Rajasthan.
The canal enters Haryana from Punjab near Lohgarh and runs through the western part of the Sirsa district before entering Rajasthan near Kharakhera village in the Tibbi tehsil of the Hanumangarh district.
Today, BBMB to release extra water for partner states; Rajasthan may get benefit of this. As per an official on the condition of anonymity said “ it might be possible as the CM Mann had recently committed to increasing the river water supply from Punjab to election bound state Rajasthan”
As per BBMB officials, they are doing this exercise as the partner states have demanded the water for irrigation purpose as the sowing season has already begun. The water is released from the turbine route and no spillway will be opened. So, the residents are requested to not to panic and not to spread rumors and beware of rumormongers.
An official of the BBMB said, as per Technical Committee Meeting held on May 31,2023 it was decided to release the water as per partner state requirements. Earlier,a week ago CM Mann had said that if Rajasthan needed the water it could get its own share released because Punjab was already finding it hard to cater to the needs of its own farmers.”
As per officials, the functions of the BBMB are to regulate the supply of Satlej, Ravi, Beas water to the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi & Chandigarh (Union Territory) & to distribute power from Bhakra Nangal & Beas Projects to the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh & Chandigarh (UT).
