Chandigarh, Aug. 19 -- Water levels at Bhakra Dam reservoir on Monday crossed 1664 feet, posing a challenge for the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the Punjab government as the level is at least 35 feet more than the last year's levels. Apart from Bhakra two other major dams in the state Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams are receiving unprecedented flow of water which is leading to fast rise in water levels in the reservoirs, and this has increased the threat of floods. The floodgates at the Pong dam were opened last week leading to submergence of areas at least 1,000 hectares of agricultural land downstream of Beas river over which Pong Dam is built. Bhakra Dam which has been built over river Sutlej these days is receiving more than 70,500 cusecs of water, which correspondingly last year was 43,500 cusecs. The release of water from the dam is 25,000 cusecs which last year was 23,000 cusecs. "We are closely monitoring the situation and will act as the need arises," said an official of the BBMB which manages the Bhakra and Pong Dams but ruled out the possibility of opening floodgates at Bhakra Dam as he said still 16 feet more for the dam to be full upto 1680 levels. It needs mention that floodgates, also called the spillways, at the top of the dam start at 1645 feet. BBMB is releasing 18,000 cusecs of water, against the inflows of 1.29 lakh cusecs....