CUTTACK: With Mahanadi and its tributaries Chitroptala, Luna and Birupa swelling alarmingly, flood fear has gripped residents of riverside villages in Cuttack district.The weak embankments are compounding fears of the panic-stricken villagers who are spending sleepless nights apprehending floods due to breaches in the unsafe structures.The incessant heavy rains since the last few days have weakened the embankments. Sources said the embankments have developed multiple cracks and perforations at several places.
Though officials of Water Resources department claim that there are no vulnerable points, the right embankment of Mahanadi river has weakened at Sirlo, Khentalo, Tarapur, Mallipur and Bankola. Any breach in the weak structure can wreak havoc in the district, the sources informed. Similarly, the embankments of Chitroptala, Luna and Birupa rivers have also become vulnerable at several places.
Making matters worse, the cuts made on embankments by mafia to lift sand from the river beds are yet to be repaired. These cut points have given rise to the possibility of breaches in the embankments.Purna Chandra Pradhan, a resident of Asureswar, said though villagers have been demanding for repair of the cut points, authorities of Water Resources department are passing the buck to their Revenue counterparts saying it is the responsibility of the latter to carry out the work.
Moreover, the floodplain and riverbanks are eroding fast due to lack of proper maintenance. “How can we sleep in peace when huge chunks of soil are regularly caving in, decreasing the distance between the river bed and embankment,” said Ratnakar Barik, a resident of Orikanta.Due to substandard work, the recently constructed spurs and stone packing have been damaged at several places, giving rise to the threat of a breach, he added. Contacted, Executive Engineer of Jagatpur Irrigation North Division Sagar Mohanty said engineers have been put on alert and asked to take stock of the weak embankments.
Dengue sting in Capital city
Bhubaneswar: The incessant rains have paved way for the deadly dengue to raise its ugly head in the State Capital. As many as 12 persons from Ward-16 of the City have been affected by the vector-borne disease in the last two days. Sources said the affected patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.
Three blocks in Cuttack affected
Cuttack: Flood water from Mahanadi river has inundated vast areas in Banki, Badamba and Tigiria blocks of Cuttack district. While communication on Subarnapur-Bindhanima road was affected, flood water has inundated the Ghodabar Hulu Hala Nala bridge since Monday morning. As many as eight gram panchayats of Banki and Tigiria blocks have been affected by the flood water.