Aradi: A stretch of embankment along Salandi river near Shitalpur village in Bhadrak district caved into the river Sunday while the stone packing of the embankment was underway. The incident triggered panic among the locals, who feared that further collapse of the embankment cannot be ruled out, as it is being continuously battered by tides. They have alleged that stone packing of the embankment has not been done in a proper manner leading to the collapse of the embankment spread over 40 metres. “The contractor is carrying out the work, but sporadically.
As a result, tides are eroding the banks,” locals said. “Stone packing for this started a year back, but it is yet to be completed. Embankments have been swept away in many other areas,” they added. Junior engineer of the Water Resources division Kishore Das, however, said that stone packing is being carried out in a proper manner. He assured me that the department will find a permanent solution to the problem.
