People from across Balasore district rushed to Nilgiri area after news about the emergence of a hot spring (see picture) in the Sono river spread like wildfire. Last Wednesday, a local resident of Badia village came across hot water in the river while taking bath. “When I was taking bath last Wednesday, I found hot water gushing out from a particular point. Subsequently, others also felt the warm water,” said Pramod Rout, 45, Badia village. The news spread fast and people started to flock to the site. The Sono, which originates from Kaptipada in neighbouring Mayurbhanj district, passes through Nilgiri and Remuna area of Balasore before joining the Budhabalanga near Phuladi. Jayant Mardaraj, a local resident and former co-convener of Intach (Odisha chapter), said: “The source should be verified by experts. If the source is found authentic, it would be another hot spring.” District tourism officer Biswajit Routray said he had heard about the matter, while sub-collector Sridhar Nayak decided to ask the department concerned to examine the water. Text by Sibdas Kundu, Telegraph picture