Marshaghai/Drabish/Patkura: With rampant sand mining from Luna riverbed, a 40-metre stretch of the right embankment of the river at Jalapoka panchayat under Marshaghai block of Kendrapara district caved in. Following this, communication on this route connecting two panchayats has been disrupted since Saturday.
Reports said, the right saline embankment of Luna river had developed a thin crack Friday night. It gradually widened before collapsing into the river. It is the only road that facilitates communication to people of two panchayats to the block headquarters.
Locals have expressed their displeasure over the development, alleging that wanton sand mining from the river bed near the embankment is weakening the road. After the collapse of the embankment, people of Pakyat, Kanibanka, Srutipur, Sisua-Sathila and Purastampur are unable to venture out from their villages. Besides, just 200 metre away from the spot where it collapsed, another crack line was found.
Local residents fear that this portion of the embankment will also go down in a few days. Some utility poles and water supply pipelines along the embankment have been prone to collapse. Meanwhile, a team of engineers from Jagatpur north irrigation division visited the spot. They said that the damaged embankment will be repaired temporarily to facilitate communication. “Thereafter, a tender will be floated for restoration of the embankment,” he added.
However, it was learnt that the embankment was earlier strengthened from Pakhyat to Karilopatana, but the work was botched up. Contacted, the superintending engineer of the Cuttack north irrigation division blamed the low water flow in the river adding that it has posed danger to the embankment. The repair of the damaged embankment will be started soon, he said.
