The Hindu : National : A flood of rumours

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 13, 2004

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National

A flood of rumours

By Kanwar Yogendra

PLANNING THE STRATEGY: Authorities in discussion at the Nathpa Dam at Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday where the Sutlej is flowing at an all-time low. There is a threat of floods in the river as the overflowing water from an artificial lake enters Pareechu river in Tibet. — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

RAMPUR (HIMACHAL), AUG. 12. For another day today the residents of Rampur, a small town on the left bank of the Sutlej, agonised over the rumours of a possible blast by the Chinese Government to breach the lake created by landslips across the Pareechu.

The State Government officials too had little information to allay their fears of floods submerging their town. Amidst conflicting reports the people stood and worried and only when the External Affairs Ministry statement came that the dam had not burst did they relax.

A few commercial establishments and houses close to the river were vacated a week back, but for the rest it was business as usual. Many locals were seen protesting against some media reports that exaggerated the flood threat.

Earlier as rumours of floods spread, para military forces mobilised on the way towards Kinnaur were seen reporting to the Rampur SDM for possible assistance. The movement of forces led to a momentary panic even in Nathpa, the dam site of the prestigious 1500 MW hydro project, about 60 km from Rampur, but it subsided immediately. The officials at the site reported no change in the water level there.

Meanwhile a team of SJVN engineers also did an aerial survey near the Indian border and reported that everything was normal.

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