Keonjhar: The monsoon is round the corner, and people living in riparian areas along the Baitarani river in Keonjhar district are deeply worried about the possibility of floods in the rainy season as the administration has not taken up repair and restoration works of several weak embankments and breaches.
For years, the government has failed to come up with a permanent solution for checking floods in vulnerable areas, locals said. They added that crores of rupees are being spent for embankment repairing and breach plugging, but havoc caused by flooded has not been checked.
In certain pockets, the depth of the river keeps going down due to extensive soil erosion, mining activities and dumping of industrial waste. In rainy season, the river causes severe flooding particularly in the areas where the riverbed has become shallow.
Downstream areas including Anandapur, Ghasipura and Hatadihi suffer extensive damage due to floods. Sometimes, weak embankments cave in while breaches are not properly plugged.
Though the water resources department claims that repair and restoration work is being done, it has not taken any initiative to lay a permanent embankment at many places identified as sensitive and weak.
According to sources, a 500 m stretch of an embankment along the right side of the river from Panchualli to Chatra has remained highly vulnerable. Panchupali is likely to be worst-affected in case of floods, the locals said.
Besides, a 300 m stretch along the the left-side of the Gobindpur- Habeleswar embankment has been identified as vulnerable. If the embankment gives way, Gobindapur and Agaria will be severely affected by floods, locals warned.
Further, it has been alleged that a 100 m concrete embankment has remained weak.
The locals claimed they have drawn attention of the departmental authorities several times about the vulnerable embankments, but nothing is being done to strengthen them.
Locals said the height of some embankments has to be raised urgently in order to prevent flooding.
Authorities have not yet taken steps to increase the height of a bridge on NH-49 at Turumanga where floodwaters flow four to five feet above the bridge.
In addition, embankments of other rivers like Kusei, Somakoi, Hanumatia and Bolani creek, have been marked as weak.
Locals suggested that stone packing of embankments and plantation drive along banks be undertaken.
District collector N Tirumala Nayak said departments have been asked at a review meting to take all necessary steps for dealing with possible floods. PNN
