10ft-wide breach in Indravati irrigation canal submerges hectares of farmland in Kalahandi

Bhawanipatna: A 10-feet wide breach that developed Friday night in Indravati mega lift irrigation canal near Majhiguda area under Koksara block in Kalahandi district has left hectares of farmland inundated.

According to a source, a small breach eventually broke a large portion of the embankment near Majhiguda village. As a result, large swathes of farmland were submerged in rainwater.

Meanwhile, local villagers have blamed it on low-quality construction works. The construction firm concerned that had undertaken the mega irrigation project is responsible for the breach, many villagers alleged.

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A minor crack had earlier developed in the canal a few days after the project was inaugurated in 2021. As no immediate steps were taken to repair the cracks, the 10-feet-wide breach occurred, they added.

Indravati canal was in spate following incessant rains that battered the district recently.

“Either, the breach should have been repaired or excess rainwater released to ensure safety of the embankment. The weak embankment could not withstand the high pressure of water leading to the wide breach in the canal,” a local man said.

It is pertinent to mention, the ambitious project was commissioned by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik January 14. It was targeted to irrigate the rain-fed farmlands in Koksara and Dharamgarh blocks.

PNN