Balangir: MLA of Odisha’s Balangir constituency Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to seek an urgent technical inquiry into the damage suffered by the newly constructed Chattamakhana Dam during recent rains.
The reported damage includes the washing away of the cut-off wall and failure of the downstream embankments, raising concerns over the safety and structural adequacy of the project, Singh Deo said in his representation to the chief minister.
Singh Deo pointed out that the project was executed on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, but the sanctioned design underwent significant changes from the original tender design.
According to the representation, the overall waterway was reduced from 256 meters to 206 meters, the number of gates from 18 to 14 and the impervious floor length from 80 meters to 50 meters. The design discharge, however, remained unchanged at 2,760 cubic meters per second.
He sought an independent examination of whether the revised design complied with applicable engineering standards and was capable of safely handling the prescribed flood discharge.
The MLA also sought an examination of whether the design flood had adequately considered the impact of the upstream Lower Suktel Dam. He called for responsibility to be fixed wherever deficiencies are found.
He further demanded that the inquiry report be placed in the public domain. If the inquiry establishes deficiencies in design, construction or workmanship, he said the entire rectification and repair of the dam should be carried out immediately at the contractor’s cost in accordance with the EPC contract.