A check-dam which was constructed on Khamapadar Nala near Khilapadar-Mariguda village under Padmapur block in Rayagada district was washed away in recent rains of last four days.
This was irrigating above 1,000 acres and was only hope for scores of farmers of Khilapadar, Dakasikula, Sanyasipur as well as Mariguda villages.
Meanwhile, the locals have urged the authorities to take steps to repair the dam immediately. "We request the respective authorities to restore/repair the structure at the earliest,” said Er Rajiv Sahu, a farmer-entrepreneur of Padmapur block.
ITDA pa Gorachanda Gomanga said that around Rs 70 lakh was needed to revive it and lamented that it was just not possible to work on this due to paucity of funds available with the ITDA.
An officer in the Minor Irrigation department said that though the check dam was supposed to be constructed by their department, the reason of investment by ITDA was best known to ITDA. He said that it was not possible on their part now to renovate it. This correspondent also contacted the Collector, PD-DRDA and PA-ITDA on the issue, but in vain.
Padmapur block is the rice bowl of Rayagada. The paddy is now at the verge of flowering or ripening stage. At this juncture, this issue has to be addressed by the administration in a war footing basis or otherwise the concerned authorities must be held accountable, lamented Sahu.
Notably, a similar case of irrigation issue is still pending in Kalyan Singhpur block where a dam over Kalyani river was washed away before two years in a flash flood.
According to Dr Hrushikesh Jalli, Principal of Muniguda College, the main road connecting Brahmapur with Bhawani Patna has been washed away in many places, especially near bridges and culverts. The administration cannot wait till the damage assessment, estimation and then repair and renovation. The department should take interim repair activities with immediate effect, he said.