Hirakud water released, 7 Collectors asked to be on alert

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Sunday asked collectors of seven downstream districts to be on high alert and tell people not to go near the riverbank after Hirakud Dam authorities released the season’s first flood water in the Mahanadi river.

The dam authorities opened sluice gate number seven followed by others. A total of 20 gates were opened in three phases – 7 gates at 9.30 am, another 7 at 12.30 pm and the remaining 6 gates at 2.30 pm, to flush out excess water amid heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas and the inflow of water into the reservoir.

“Collectors of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara have been asked to alert the people downstream not to enter the Mahanadi riverside. Animals will also not be allowed to gaze close to the river. Collectors are also requested to remain alert and monitor the situation,” official sources said