Nandini Oza of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) told Express Newsline on Thursday that the Narmada was rising following heavy rains in Jabalpur and Hosangabad and release of water from the Tava and Bargi dams upstream.

She said that the NBA feared that besides Domkhedi, Jalsindhi and Pipalchop, Bharad and Sikka villages in Maharashtra would be affected if the waters continued to rise. According to her, the water level at the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam site, which was 93 meters on Wednesday night, had risen to 93.75 meter at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The release of water was continuing, she claimed, adding that when the water level had hit 98 meters in June-end, the satyagrahis were in chest-deep water. There are nearly 300 families in Pipalchop, Bharad and Sikka.

Oza said that NBA leader Medha Patkar and other satyagrahis have moved to those villages which are likely to be affected.

Meanwhile, Bharuch collector B B Swain has cautioned all residents living in the low-lying areas along the Narmada to shift to safer places during the next 24 hours.

Swain told Express Newsline that the water level was rising following release of water in the river from Madhya Pradesh, and it was likely to rise 24 feet by Friday morning and 28 feet by the night. He said people living in the low-lying areas were being informed of the danger.