The district administration has not been able to complete the repair works of weak and vulnerable embankments in the district despite the onset of monsoon triggering a flood scare.
Every year, floods play havoc in the district. But the district administration has not taken permanent measures to repair the weak embankments. On the contrary, the authorities without taking any permanent measures are allegedly doing a quick fix. They are filling only sand bags in the weak embankments and allegedly siphoning off lakhs of rupees every year which come for flood control.
If sources are to be believed, the river embankments of Brahmani, luna, Chitrotpala, Karandia, Paika, Kani and Baitarani are lying in dilapidated state in 36 places of the district and some of the river embankments need urgent repair work. There are 10 locations in different embankments which are lying weak and vulnerable under the Kendrapada Irrigation Division alone.
According to official sources, vulnerable and weak embankments have been reported at Girigola, Danpur and also Near Sani temple in luna left embankment under Derabish block, whereas embankments of Chitropata river at Biswanathpur and Bedari are also posing a threat to the riverside villagers of Garadapur block. Similarly, embankment of Kodakan ghery at Patalipanka, left wing 5.20 to 8.20 of Dasamouzi ghery under Mahakalapada block, Indupur ghery at Indupur, CE-34(B) in Brahmani right embankment and Damarapur ghery in Damarapur under Pattamundai and Kendrapada blocks are lying vulnerable this time.
They badly need repair, else there is every possibility of flood. When contacted Kendrapara Irrigation Division Executive Engineer Binod Bihari Mishra stated that embankment strengthening work is going on. Similarly, 1,500-meter long river embankment of luna left at Goudabadapur, Gokhakhati, Sathiabati under Mahakalapada block, river embankment of Gobari left at Radia, Kansarbadadandua, near Marine police station in Mahakalapada block, 300-meter long in KK Right embankment of Kharasuan river near Kalamada in Aul, 50-meter long at Brahmani left in Bankeswar, 250-meter long at Eradanga, Palimi, Mathasahi in the left embankment of Kani river at Aul block, 600-meter long at Gualigaon, 250- meter long near Gunthal in the right embankment of Baitarani river, 1,100- meter long river embankment in Hansua right are lying vulnerable in the district under Aul saline embankment.
While in some vulnerable points launching apron protection work is going on to protect the embankments from flood, in some places temporary repair works have been made. In other vulnerable points, sufficient sand bags and bamboos have been kept to protect the embankments under Aul Embankment Division, stated Aul Saline Embankments Division Executive Engineer Jugal Kishore Tripathy.
Similarly, the river embankment of Chitroptala is lying vulnerable at Mandia, Narsinghpur, Oriso and Akhua of Marshaghai block under Mahanadi North Division.
Mahanadi North Division Executive Engineer Bijay Kumar Samal stated
that embankment strengthening and repair work has been completed and assured that there was nothing to go apprehensive.
District Collector Debaraj Senapati stated that all the concerned divisions executive engineers have prepared
their contingent plans to overcome the flood situation.