Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday assured citizens that there is no immediate threat of water or power shortages despite below-normal rainfall in the catchment areas of key reservoirs, including Balimela and Machkund. It said a comprehensive contingency plan has been activated to safeguard drinking water supply, irrigation requirements, and power availability during the ongoing monsoon deficit.
The assurance came after a high-level review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary (Water Resources) Shubha Sarma, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav.
Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo directed officials to ensure the smooth management of the low rainfall period. Strict guidelines have been issued to maintain optimum reservoir storage levels, with priority given to conserving critical water reserves for drinking purposes and agricultural needs before allocating water for power generation.
In view of the weak monsoon and lower reservoir levels compared to last year, the Water Resources and Agriculture Departments are closely monitoring the situation. Water conservation measures are being prioritised to ensure that the Kharif farming cycle remains unaffected. High-level discussions have also been initiated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, to ensure effective coordination and necessary support.
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