Bhakra Dam deflection not a cause for worry: official

13 Sep 2010

Government authorities yesterday sought to play down fears of a tilt in the Bhakra Dam saying there was only a 1.05 inch deflection in the structure which should not be a cause for worry.

The level of water in the dam had crossed the maximum mark.

Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB) member (irrigation), M K Gupta said the water level in the Bhakra Dam had crossed the maximum mark of 1,680 feet and they had been releasing the excess water to maintain the level.

He added that a deflection of just 1.05 inch in the structure and been observed but 'tilt' was not the right word to use for it.

He added that the deflection was within the permissible limit and there was no need to worry about it, but a deflection beyond what was observed would not be allowed.

The dam is located in Himachal Pradesh (HP) on the Punjab-HP border 130 km from Chandigarh.