Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday asked the administration to monitor the situation in Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh districts due to continuous rise in the water level of the Mahanadi river amid heavy rains, an official said.
The official said the process of shifting people from low-lying areas along the major river to relief camps had begun as a precautionary measure.
"Due to heavy rains, several rivers are in spate. Irrigation projects and reservoirs in Raipur, Durg and Bastar divisions are full and water is being released continuously, which is increasing the level of the Mahanadi," the official said.
"A total of 52,000 cusec (cubic foot per second) water is being released from Ravi Shankar reservoir in Dhamtari, while the discharge is 5,000 cusec from Sondhpur dam, 13,400 cusec from Sikaser. The Mahanadi is receiving 70,400 cusec water, while the figure is 70,000 cusec for Shivnath river," he said.
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About 9,00,000 cusec water is coming into Hirakud Dam and its management has decided to release water following a request from the Chhattisgarh government despite heavy rains and flooding in neighbouring Odisha, he said.
"Some 4,50,000 cusec water is being released from Hirakud and this is causing flooding in Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh," the official added.
(With PTI inputs)
