Aradi: Even as the administration has sounded alert about cyclone Titli, people living in Sathibankkuda along embankment of Baitarani in Bhadrak district were panicked. A 100-ft breach which had developed on the mound, has not been plugged in properly even after a week. Locals in four panchayats voiced their concern over possible breach of the weak embankment even as the heavy rains have started lashing the area since Wednesday morning.
In the event of breach, scores of villages in Olaga, Sundarpur, Nandapur and Aradi panchayats are likely to face the fury of floods.
It was stated that the contractor has halted repair work due to heavy rain. They pointed out a stretch of 200-ft near the 100-ft fragile embankment has also been vulnerable to floods. The entire stretch is likely to collapse in case of heavy rains, locals lamented.
In the past, contractors have put up poles and stacked sand bags along the embankment as a safety measure, but that was not enough to ensure its safety.
There is need for quality repair of the embankment to ward off chances of breach, but their demand has always been neglected, they added.
“The contractor has just packed a few sand bags on the embankment while the authorities have opened four gates of Hadagada dam keeping in view the possible floods in Salandi,” said the locals.
They demanded immediate step for protection of the embankment.
Irrigation department SDO Bhubanananda Mohanty said there is no possibility of floods in Baitrani. “In case of floods, sand bags will be packed on the embankment on a war-footing on the vulnerable spot and the department has been prepared for it,” he added.
PNN