Punjab's Water Resources Minister, Barinder Goyal, announced that desilting operations will soon begin in the state's rivers to prevent future flooding.
The state is also set to launch the first-ever desilting project for the Bhakra Dam reservoir, which is expected to increase its storage capacity by over 25 percent. However, the state faces a unique challenge with the Beas river, which is now a Ramsar site, requiring special permission for desilting. Minister Goyal explained that of the 85 river sites identified for desilting, 28 are in the Beas, and tenders have already been floated for 36 sites. The state is seeking clearance to carry out desilting without disturbing wildlife.
Regarding the Bhakra Dam, the Minister noted that sedimentation had reduced the reservoir’s capacity by 26 percent since its commissioning.