Bhubaneswar: The Sambalpur district administration has declared Hirakud Dam and its adjacent areas as no-fly zones ahead of the first flood water discharge of the season. As part of safety measures, flying of drones has been completely prohibited in the affected areas.
Microlight aircraft and other unmanned aerial vehicles are also banned.
Officials said drone flying will be allowed only with prior permission from the Collector. The Water Resources Department said four sluice gates of Hirakud Dam will be opened at 11 am on Thursday to release the first flood water of the season into the Mahanadi system.
The decision was finalised at a high-level meeting. Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department, Dilip Kumar Rout, said on Wednesday that the planned release will ensure smooth passage of water.
It is unlikely to create any trouble or flooding in downstream areas. Rout added that heavy water outflow at Munduli barrage in Mahanadi, caused by rainfall in the dam’s downstream catchment, has been decreasing gradually.
The outflow was recorded at 4.43 lakh cusec during the day, after touching 5.54 lakh cusec last night. “With the gradual decrease in current water outflow at Munduli barrage, the fresh release of flood water from the dam would pass smoothly in Mahanadi downstream,” he said.
