Bhadrak: With monsoon all set to enter state, people living in scores of villages along river Salandi under Sadar block of Bhadrak are a worried lot, because they are apprehensive of flood devastation thanks to incomplete work of a spur and fragile embankments.
For the past three years, a spur work is underway. In view of the impending monsoon, the administration has directed various departments to complete ongoing work. Review meetings are being held routinely. But some projects are allegedly lingering for years.
According to reports, construction of a spur on river Salandi was taken up. The 1100-metre spur is nowhere near completion, alleged locals.
“Monsoon may lash the state in a couple of days, but the spur and stone packing of embankments have not been built yet. Naturally, people living in low-lying areas will be worried,” said the locals.
However, a patch of stone-packing on the right side of the spur and embankment has been completed.
In a bid to facilitate commuting and check floods from entering the Bhadrak town, the State Water Resources Department has started work on an embankment from Gabasahi-Jenasahi to NH-16 at a cost of Rs 32 lakh.
The project was expected to be completed in six months.
Locals said, the project work may not be completed before the onset of monsoons. People residing in the riparian villages have expressed their displeasure over the issue. The Water Resources Department engineer Bamapada Tripathy said due to land dispute, the work in the area has been affected.