Bhandaripokhari: With incessant rains continuing for the last couple of days in Bhadrak district, the situation has turned grim for residents of many blocks. None so more than the people of Balighai village of Balipokhari panchayat under Bhandaripokhari block and Dehudi-Anandapur village under Dhamnagar block.
A large portion of the embankment of the Baitarani river flowing through these two places has been washed away by the continuous rains putting the people of the two villages at risk.
Local residents alleged that only a few months back, the embankments had been reinforced. They blamed the contractor who had carried out the construction work and said sub-standard material had been used to firm up the banks.
The government had taken up the reinforcement work under the ‘Capital Embankment Project’. With financial assistance from NABARD, the embankment stretching from Balighai of Balipokhari panchayat under Bhandaripokhari block to Dehudi-Anandapur under Dhamnagar block was rebuilt. Close to Rs 12.50 crore were spent for the project. The contractor to carry out the work was selected by the Jajpur Irrigation Department.
Many alleged that the engineers of the Irrigation Department did not supervise the work properly. Hence he got away supplying sub-standard materials for the reinforcement of the embankment. This has once more led to the erosion of land due to heavy rains.
At Kantighai, Maninathpur School and Bindhani village, more than 20 feet of land has been gobbled up by the river. At some places, the embankment has also developed cracks and they also may be swept away soon.
PNN