The Hindu     27.07.2012

States refuse to accept cut in Bhakra water supply

Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan have refused to accept further cut on water release by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), saying that crop must be saved first.

“Partnering States (Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan) have not agreed to take further cut on water,” an official of BBMB said here.

A 10 per cent cut on water release is already in place on partnering States with effect from July 17 onwards. The cut was announced in the wake of deficient rain by the BBMB.

“We did not agree to take further reduction in water supply ... we want that present crop must get water ... it should be saved first. So, we wanted the current water supply be maintained,” Punjab Chief Engineer (Irrigation) Amarjit Singh Dullat said here.

He said during the meeting held on Wednesday, it was proposed to bring water supply down from 23,000 cusecs to 20,000 cusecs from the Bhakra dam and 12,000 cusecs to 5,200 cusecs from the Pong dam.

The water release by the BBMB is used for irrigation of crops like paddy, cotton, maize, guar in the three States.

Problems for farmers this year aggravated because of severe power shortage and poor rains.The water level in the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs has been “abysmally” low this year because of less rain and slow melting of snow.

The water level in the Bhakra dam today stands at 1,562.92 feet, 62 feet lower than what the level was in corresponding day of last year. Similarly, the water level in the Pong dam is 1290.80 feet as against 1357.17 feet in last year, BBMB official said.

Water in the reservoirs is allowed to be filled till September 20. The next meeting with representatives of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to review the situation will be held on August 6. PTI