Jobra Barrage Made out of Bounds for Public

Jobra Barrage Made out of Bounds for Public

CUTTACK:  A day after four students of Ravenshaw University drowned in river Mahanadi at Jobra Barrage, the district administration clamped prohibitory orders on bathing or swimming at the spot.

The ban on entering the ghat has been imposed with immediate effect with Mahanadi Barrage division authorities asked to keep a strict watch. Signages on the prohibited area will be put up soon to deter people from entering the area, Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said on Friday.

"The decision has been taken on account of reports of frequent mishaps at the Barrage region. While the tragic death of four young people has shocked us, we have received information that the vicinity of the Barrage is dangerous for bathing or swimming. Though there were several accidents at the spot in the recent past, no casualty had occurred," Mishra said.

The Collector has also formed a team comprising ADM, Cuttack and executive engineers of Mahanadi Barrage Division and Mahanadi South Division to enquire into the death of the students as well as examine the dangers in the region. They will submit their report within 15 days. The committee would recommend the distance of the river stretch that should be inaccessible for public.

Immediate steps would, however, be taken to put the Barrage ghat out of bounds for public. While a wall has been proposed to be constructed, initially, grills would be installed to cut off the bathing area. The considerations of locals, who are more dependant on the river, will also be examined.

On Thursday, five students from Information Science and Telecommunications (IST) and Information Technology Management (ITM) streams of the University had ventured into the river at the Barrage for taking bath when they were caught in the current. Four of them died while one was rescued by locals.

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