Vadodara Villages Put on Alert After Sardar Sarovar Dam Water Rise

The Vadodara administration alerted 25 villages due to a rise in the Sardar Sarovar dam level caused by heavy rains and water release from the Omkareshwar dam. Residents are cautioned to avoid the Narmada river bed as authorities take precautionary measures to prevent accidents.

The Vadodara administration on Sunday alerted 25 villages in the district after the release of water from the Omkareshwar dam in Madhya Pradesh and heavy rains led to a rise in the Sardar Sarovar dam level in Gujarat's Narmada district.

Residents of these villages have been asked not to venture near the Narmada river bed, officials said.

As the Sardar Sarovar dam water level rose due to inflow following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas upstream and the release of water from the Omkareshwar dam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, authorities opened nine radial gates of the Gujarat-based reservoir by 1.50 metres.

The Sardar Sarovar dam recorded a level of 134.75 metres on Sunday morning in comparison to the full reservoir level of 138.68 metres, an official from the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited said. The dam's water level rose by 3.5 metres in the last 24 hours.

A total of 1,35,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water will be released into the Narmada river through the River Bed Power House (RBPH) that produces hydroelectricity, alongside the opening of nine radial gates of the Sardar Sarovar dam, an official statement said.

Vadodara's in-charge collector Mamata Hirpara stated that authorities were maintaining vigilance and taking precautionary measures in the 25 villages under Shinor, Dabhoi, and Karajan talukas of the district.

These villages, located along the Narmada river banks in Vadodara district, are being carefully monitored by the local administration, and residents have been instructed to stay away from the river bed due to the potential for additional water release from the Narmada dam upstream.

The district administration is taking every measure to prevent any accidents or casualties in low-lying areas of the Sardar Sarovar dam.

The Sardar Sarovar project covers four major states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. According to the project website, the dam's spillway discharging capacity (30.7 lakh cusecs) ranks third highest in the world.

Rains continued in southern and central Gujarat districts over the past 24 hours, with the state receiving 70.35 percent of its annual average rainfall. Kutch, Saurashtra, and southern Gujarat regions have received 87.35, 78.73, and 83.96 percent of their annual average rainfall, respectively, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

In contrast, the north and east Gujarat regions have received 52.67 and 53.90 percent of their annual average rainfall, respectively, the SEOC added.

(With inputs from agencies.)