Gujarat’s Narmada dam is set to overflow at its full 138.68-metre height for the first time, after it was completed with the installation of gates in 2017, amid State-wide celebrations the government has planned to mark the event.
As on Saturday 5 PM, the level was at 138.14 metre, just 54 cm below the highest/overflow point.
Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) Managing Director Dr. Rajiv Kumar Gupta said, “Sardar Sarovar Dam: further storage necessary to control flood situation in Bharuch city due to high tide and 175 villages in three districts. The district administration requested to control outflow. Level touched historic mark 138 metres today.
“For it to reach the full height will depend on technical and natural factors,” he said. “With large amounts of water being released from the Omkareshwar and the Indira Sagar dams in Madhya Pradesh, the dam is receiving heavy inflow.”
As per the details shared by the Narmada Flood Control room, the inflow was 8,94,730 cusecs, the outflow 6,30,444 cusecs and 23 gates were open up to 3.9 meters.
After the installation and closure of 30 gates in 2017, its maximum height increased from 121.92m to 138.68 m.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who announced the celebrations, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would present on his birthday on September 17 to offer prayers at the dam. He said the PM had accepted the invitation to kick-start the celebrations.
To mark the PM’s birthday, the Gujarat government and the ruling BJP have decided to organise events to commemorate filling up of the dam and other reservoirs.
Mr. Rupani said the State need not require any permission from any authority to fill the dam till its maximum storage capacity, dismissing Madhya Pradesh government’s concerns about rising storage level that floods some villages there.
More than 3,500 people from 23 villages and some areas of the Bharuch district were shifted to safer locations.
