Ahmedabad: The Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam, situated in Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat is seeing a rise in its water level at the rate around an inch per hour (2.5 cm per hour) owing to increase in the inflow due to heavy rains in the catchment areas in Gujarat and release of water from Indira Sagar Dam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

The water level of the dam, which currently overflows at 121.92 meters, this evening was 115.46 m (at around 5 30 pm) and was rising at a rate of 2.5 cm per hour, Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Ltd Mr. S S Rathore informed.

Earlier health minister cum spokesperson of the state government Mr. Nitin Patel said that the inflow in the dam was around 88000 cubic meter per second (cu sec) while water released to the river and the main Narmada canal was 33154 and 12000 cu sec respectively.

Mr Patel said that at this rate the dam will over flow in 9 to 10 days and if the rain in catchment areas and subsequent inflow increases then it might be earlier.

The last overflow of the dam had taken place in July last year.

The CMD said that the dam overflowed every monsoon for an average period of 50 to 60 days. The overflow increased the number of tourists to Kevadiya to see the water fall.

The height of the dam meant for supporting drinking water, irrigation and hydro power project is to be further increased. The work of raising of dam up to 121.92 mt. is completed. The Narmada Control Authority has given the permission in June 2014 to raise the height up to 138.68 m.

DeshGujarat