When the flood gates are to be opened, the Punjab and Haryana governments are also informed. (File)Sukhna Lake is inching towards danger mark with the water level of the lake reaching 1,161.50 feet on Sunday evening.
Just two days ago on August 15, officials stated that the water level of the lake recorded was just 1,158 feet.
“In around 48 hours’ time, the lake’s water level has increased by 3.5 feet. If it rains continuously like this even for 24 hours, we will have to open the flood gates,” an official of the engineering wing of the Chandigarh Administration told Chandigarh Newsline.
According to the officials, flood gates are opened when the lake’s water level reaches 1,163 feet. The staff sounds an alert the moment water level inches towards 1,162 feet.
It was in September last year that the flood gates of the Sukhna were opened after a hiatus of 10 years when the water in the lake crossed the danger mark of 1163 feet. The last time the floodgates were opened in a similar situation was a decade ago, in August 2008. The water released from the Sukhna had crossed Kishangarh, Industrial Area and Makhanmajra before merging into the Ghaggar river. When it rains heavily in the hills, water gushes fast towards the lake from the Sukhna catchment area.
The two gates were lifted up nine inches in phases of three inches each over six hours for the controlled release of the water into the Sukhna Choe from the regulatory end. The release was regulated to keep pace with the rapid water flow into the Sukhna Catchment Area from Nepli forest, Kansal and Saketri village.
When the flood gates are to be opened, the Punjab and Haryana governments are also informed.
However, increased water levels are a boon for the lake that had almost gone dry two years ago.
In 2017, it was the low water level in Sukhna that was of concern, prompting the Punjab and Haryana High Court to ask the UT Administration to suggest ways to prevent it from drying. Scientists from the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, had also conducted a study of the lake. The UT Administration had at the time pointed to a trend of the lake drying up every four-five years.
Water bane in New Chandigarh
Mohali: The dream project of New Chandigarh of former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal witnessed the ire of nature when many areas were inundated due to heavy rain.
Three residential buildings were collapsed near Model Town area in Kurali as the water flowed through it on Sunday. Nobody was injured in the incident.
According to information available, water flowed through the residential areas which were developed in the last few years, leaving the buyers in fear.
The area near the new cricket stadium near Togan village was inundated due to heavy downpour. Water also entered the building of Navodya school and 100 students were shifted to Chandigarh.
Arvind Puri, a Mullanpur Garibdas resident, told Chandigarh Newsline that the area was developed in the last 10-12 years by ignoring all the safety measures and on Sunday the water flow had exposed the poor management.
“The buildings collapsed in Kurali. If this happens again, the areas under new Chandigarh will also not be safe,” Puri added.
New Chandigarh is considered a posh area which caused a boom in the real estate business.
The residential projects like Eco city 1 and Eco city 2 came to the area along with the new cricket stadium and Tata Cancer hospital. ENS
