After heavy rain in Himachal, Ropar admn starts flood-protection works

After heavy rains in adjoining Himachal Pradesh, people residing on the banks of the Sutlej and its tributaries have started bracing for floods. The district administration has also started making arrangements for flood protection.

The Sutlej receives huge inflow from its tributaries — Swan and Sirsa — that join it in Ropar district. The areas on the banks of these rivers are vulnerable to floods.

Sources in the district administration said encroachments on dry riverbeds had made the area vulnerable to floods. In Ropar, the areas lying between the Sutlej and its tributaries are called ‘Belas’. These are used by people for seasonal agriculture. However, over a period of time, these areas have become thickly populated and people have constructed houses and even resorts here. In case, the BBMB authorities are forced to release water from Bhakra Dam, these areas face a high risk of floods.

Meanwhile, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia visited various areas to review ground-level preparedness and preventive measures aimed at protecting the lives, property and livestock in case of floods.

He visited Bhallri, Agampur, Shahpur Bela and Khad Bathlor villages and interacted with local residents. He said besides monitoring the water level of the Sutlej and Swan, the authorities were keeping an eye on water inflow into Bhakra Dam, especially in light of heavy rainfall in the hilly regions.

He directed the officials to remove obstructions in village drains, seasonal rivulets, canals, culverts and drainage outlets that are often key causes of flooding. “The current water level poses no immediate threat. However, it remains the administration’s duty to stay fully prepared in advance to tackle any unforeseen situation efficiently,” he said.

Power demand surges to record 16,983 MW

Patiala: The state’s power consumption scaled unprecedented heights, setting a new record of 16,983 megawatts (MW) at 2 pm today, surpassing the previous all-time peak demand of 16,836 MW recorded on June 12.

Urban centres have witnessed a spike in air-conditioner usage due to high humidity, while nearly 14 lakh tubewells across Punjab are also running at full capacity to irrigate paddy fields. This dual load is contributing heavily to the soaring power requirement, said a retired PSPCL engineer.

All major thermal power plants in the state are operating at full capacity.

According to an agriculture expert, at present, over 32 lakh hectares is under paddy, with 73 per cent of the area being irrigated by tubewells. — TNS

Punjab