More water released from Tehri dam

The Ganga today continued to rise above the danger mark, sounding more trouble for the low-lying areas of Uttarakhand and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, and damaging the under-construction Koteshwar dam.

With heavy rains pounding Uttarakhand in the past few days, the reservoir level at the Tehri dam has now crossed the danger mark of 831.45 metre, forcing the authorities to release nearly 1,200 cumax water. The state government has asked the dam authorities to release more water in order to bring down the level.

Although the Tehri dam authorities are claiming that they are releasing waters in a staggered manner, there is apprehension that the huge quantity of water from the reservoir is largely responsible for the floods in both Uttarakhand and UP.

With reservoir level still hovering around 831 metre mark this evening, the Uttarakhand government was in constant touch with top officials of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) to discuss the threat situation posed by the reservoir. This has also raised fears in the plains regarding the safety aspect of Asia’s highest dam.

Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has already held talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the rising reservoir level of Tehri dam. “Since the reservoir level has crossed 831 mark, it may create havoc in the low lying areas of Uttarakhand and UP,” a top official said.

However, THDC officials said there may not be any threat. “There is no danger to Tehri dam. It is safe. Secondly, our reservoir is meant to utilise stored water during the lean winter season,” said R S T Sai, CMD of THDC. Sai also said it is wrong to say that water from only Tehri dam has created floods in the plains and maintained that nearly 950 cumax of water is being currently released from the dam.

A high alert has already been sounded in the state. Currently, the flood waters have started flowing for the first time from the huge spillway of the Tehri dam which has already inundated the 400 Mw Koteshwar dam (which is under construction), which is the second phase of Tehri hydel project. “We are fearing huge losses as water has entered the power house of Koteshwar dam,” said D L Shah, GM of THDC.

BS