India, Aug. 4 -- The Odisha government has directed officials to immediately stop hydropower generation from reservoirs if water levels fall below the minimum threshold required for drinking water supply and agricultural irrigation.

According to an official letter issued by the Department of Water Resources on August 4, 2026, Additional Secretary to the Government Narahari Sethi has instructed the Engineer-in-Chief (EIC), Water Resources, to closely monitor reservoir levels across the state and regulate hydropower generation accordingly.

The directive follows a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, which reviewed Odisha's water security situation and stressed that ensuring adequate water for drinking and irri...