Bhubaneswar, Aug 4: The Odisha government has directed the immediate suspension of hydropower generation from reservoirs if water levels fall below the critical threshold required to meet drinking water and agricultural irrigation needs. The decision underscores the state's priority to safeguard water resources amid concerns over declining reservoir storage.

In an official communication issued by the Department of Water Resources, Additional Secretary Narahari Sethy instructed the Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources, to strictly implement the directive across all hydropower-generating reservoirs in the state.

The order follows a high-level review meeting held on July 20, 2026, chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister, during which Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed Odisha's water security in view of the prevailing monsoon conditions and reservoir storage levels.

According to the directive, ensuring adequate water for drinking purposes and agricultural irrigation will take precedence over electricity generation. If the water level in any reservoir drops below the minimum level required to meet these essential needs, hydropower generation must be halted immediately without awaiting further administrative approval.

The government has attributed the precautionary measure to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, which has resulted in comparatively lower water storage in reservoirs than in previous years.

Officials have been instructed to maintain round-the-clock monitoring of all power-generating reservoirs and keep daily records of live storage, inflows and projected depletion rates. The government stressed that protecting water resources for public consumption and farming remains its foremost priority, with power generation taking a secondary role until reservoir levels improve.

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