Cuttack: Fear of flood gripped the residents of Barimundei village under Niali block of Cuttack district after a weak embankment of a nearby canal caved in Sunday night. The village was water-logged due to incessant flood water.
Sources said, a 15-feet wide breach has developed in the embankment of Kakatpur branch canal late Sunday night. Following this canal water entered into the nearby Barimundei village.
Floods are an annual affair for the people of this village due to absence of measures to avoid the weak embankment.
Locals have been demanding temporary measures like stone-packing of the embankment to check the rainwater from overflowing the river banks and entering villages. The village remains water-locked for several days during rain.
Even after repeated demands, the embankment work has not been completed before monsoon.
Due to the flood water, the ponds in the village have been over flooded affecting farming in the village. Efforts were on by the Water Resources Department to drain out the water using pump sets when this report came.
The locals alleged that though they had earlier apprised the department about the weak embankment, no action was taken in this regard.
PNN