Jajpur: The Brahmani and Baitarani rivers including their distributaries have caused severe floods in many places of Jajpur district in the last few weeks. Due to floodwaters roads have been damaged at many places and have affected the movement of vehicles. Approximately 25 major road breaches have occurred and for repairing those damaged parts Rs 12.39 crore will be required.
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According to sources, 21 major road breaches happened in Jaraka irrigation division and four in Jajpur irrigation division, respectively. The Jajpur irrigation department has prepared an estimate in this regard.
Most of parts in Jajpur district are under water and road connectivity has been severely disrupted. Lakhs of people in rural areas of Jajpur district have been hit hard by the floods. Nearly 2,86,327 number of livestock in approximately 530 villages of 124 panchayats under 10 blocks have been badly affected due to the floods, sources have revealed.
Odisha Irrigation Department’s Principal Secretary Anu Garg had directed Collectors of 13 districts for repair as well as renovation of weak and rundown river embankments vide letter (No.-15301/29.08.2020), much before the occurrence of floods. The recent floods however, prove that preventive measures were not taken.
Residents of Jajpur complained that roads have been damaged due to the poor quality of work. It was also alleged that Niraghat and Rambhapur road breaches on Kelua river dike under Dharmasala block was man-made.
On being contacted, Jaraka irrigation division executive engineer Debasish Patnaik said, “Repair work of damaged roads will start after the floodwaters subside. Efforts are being made at the department level, for effective management of flood situation.”
It should be stated here that three-month-old Lakshmi, the daughter of Amar Majhi of Beherapatna village of Panasa panchayat under Sadar block had died recently after the walls of the house she was residing in collapsed. Locals said that the walls had collapsed due to a road breach.
Similarly, a double-storied building had collapsed near the Brahmani river embankment at Kandiasahi of Bandhadiha panchayat under Rasulpur block. The house collapsed following a road breach which was 150 feet in width.
PNN