BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has put Collectors of 11 districts on alert after 25 sluice gates of Hirakud Dam were opened on Tuesday.
As heavy showers continue across Odisha, the office of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi asked the Collectors of districts in the Mahanadi river system to draw an emergency plan as about four lakh cusec of flood water would be released through these gates.
Collectors of Sambalpur, Angul, Khurda, Cuttack, Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur districts have been directed to take precautionary measures as around eight lakh cusec of flood water will pass Mundali on Thursday morning.
Currently, the water level of Mahanadi at Naraj in Cuttack is 25.32 metre against the danger level of 26.41 metre. The discharge of water at Khairmal and Barmul in the river system is 5.41 lakh cusec and 5.61 lakh cusec respectively while 5.30 lakh cusec of water is flowing at Mundali.
SRC Sethi said six lakh cusec of water will pass Mundali from Tuesday evening and will increase to eight lakh cusec by August 30 morning. Accordingly, the Collectors have been asked to draw contingency plan to meet any eventuality.
The district heads have been asked to alert all field functionaries and depute mobile teams for close monitoring of vulnerable river and canal embankments.
They have also been directed to identify low-lying areas and keep power boats ready besides planning evacuation of people from areas likely to be inundated.
The districts have been asked to ensure round-the-clock functioning of control rooms. NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service personnel have been kept in readiness, Sethi informed.
Meanwhile, keeping in view the possibility of flood in Salandi river, the SRC office has asked Bhadrak district administration to monitor the situation.