Dhauliganga dam gates to open for 48 hours, alert urged along Mahakali banks

Residents along the banks of the Mahakali River have been urged to stay alert as the gates of India's Dhauliganga hydropower project dam are set to open for 48 hours.

The District Administration Office, Kanchanpur, said in a notice issued from Mahendranagar on Friday that the project, located in Dharchula, Uttarakhand, is opening the gates to clear silt accumulated in the dam.

According to the administration, the gates will remain open from 1 am on Saturday, Asoj 17, until 1 am on Monday, Asoj 19. The administration said the water level in the Mahakali River could rise during this period.

Assistant Chief District Officer Mohan Chandra Joshi said local residents of riverside settlements have already been asked to take precautions. The administration has asked people living along the riverbanks, and those who travel via the river, not to enter the water or go near the banks while the gates are open.

It has urged continued caution even after the gates are closed, as the water level may remain high for some time afterward.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, light rain is likely today at one or two places in the hilly terrain of Sudurpashchim Province, while the province's Himalayan and hilly areas will see partly cloudy skies tomorrow.