Chandigarh: The water level under the Gidderpindi bridge in the Sutlej river rose sharply on Tuesday night, crossing 2.03 lakh cusecs at 1 am. At Harike Pattan, where the Sutlej and Beas rivers meet, the flow reached 3,09,660 cusecs.
According to the drainage department, this is the fastest flow of water recorded under the Gidderpindi bridge this monsoon. Officials said that even during heavy rains earlier, the water level had not risen to this extent.
Alarmed by the situation, residents of Gatta Mundi Kasu, Jiyania Chahal, Gidderpindi, Mundi Cholia, Pipalan Wali and Mehraj villages spent the night guarding the Dhusi dam. Former sarpanch of Gatti village, Sukhwinder Singh Gati, said senior officials of the drainage department, along with police personnel including the SHO of Lohian police station, remained deployed at the site.
He added that during the day, villagers had helped strengthen weak portions of the Dhusi dam by filling rain-soaked areas with soil.
Officials said that excessive rainfall has caused the White Bein near Mundi Kalu to swell, and its waters are now merging into the Sutlej, causing a sudden surge. At 9 pm, the flow at Gidderpindi bridge was 1.70 lakh cusecs, which rose to 1.83 lakh cusecs by midnight and crossed 2 lakh cusecs by 7 am.
Meanwhile, the flow at Phillaur bridge dropped from 93,485 cusecs at 5 pm to 74,533 cusecs by midnight. Officials confirmed that the Sutlej crossed 2.03 lakh cusecs only after merging with the White Bein.
Axion Sirtaj Singh of the drainage department said that the water level was still below the danger mark at the Dhusi dam. He added that the SDO, JE and villagers continued monitoring the dam late into the night to prevent any breach.
