Kesinga: Construction of a check dam on the Tel river at Sukunabhata village in Kasrupada panchayat in this block of Kalahandi district will help over 3,000 farmers in irrigating their farmlands, locals said Sunday. They also stated that the check dam will prevent floodwaters from entering the farmlands during monsoons in Sukunabhata, Kasrupada, Binekela and Kinerkela villages.
Earlier, on most occasions, the farmlands got submerged in floodwaters. Due to the deposition of sand and silt on the farmlands more than 3,000 farmers were losing their paddy cultivations regularly. Farmers had been demanding for construction of a check dam to save their crops and had submitted a memorandum to the authorities in this regard.
Finally, the state government decided to construct a check dam and directed the Irrigation department to work out the modalities and float a tender in this regard. The tender was floated and the contract was awarded to an engineering firm for construction of the one-kilometre-long check dam on the Tel River. Stone packing has been completed on one side of the check dam while grass is being planted on the other side. When contacted, engineer Prakash Kumar Behera said the construction work has slowed due to the rains but will pick up after the monsoons. The check dam after its completion will prevent submergence and sand silt deposition on farmlands during floods and rainy season, he added.
