24-05-2025
Riverside villagers demand repair of embankments before monsoon
Kendrapada: With monsoon approaching, residents of riverside villages in Kendrapada district are concerned over the deteriorating condition of embankments, which they claimed have not been repaired despite appeals to authorities.
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The 25-km stretch along the Luna-Chitrotpala river island, covering several gram panchayats including Bangalpur, Indalo, Jalapok, Mehindinagar, Aitipur and Basapur, is particularly vulnerable due to poor maintenance work.
"Unsafe river embankments are prone to breaches during high flood. The govt must act quickly to strengthen the structures before the rainy season," said Manas Dalei of Basapur village.
Two years ago, Singhgaon and Nimpur villages suffered flooding due to breaches in weak embankments. "Substandard repair work has left us vulnerable. We're extremely worried as rivers swell dramatically during monsoon," said Ranjan Rout, a Nimpur resident.
Umesh Chandra Singh, president of the district Krushak Sabha, pointed out that authorities have consistently missed deadlines for repairs, leading to panic among residents in flood-prone areas.
In Bajapur village, promises of stone embankment construction are unfulfilled. "Authorities assured us of protection last year, but nothing has been done yet," said Balabhadra Rout, a resident.
Responding to the concerns, additional district magistrate Nilu Mohapatra said the water resources department has been directed to repair all weak embankments before monsoon arrives.
Umesh Sethi, superintending engineer of the department, assured that action is being taken. "We have undertaken repair work covering around 100 km at a cost of Rs 40 crore. The project includes raising, strengthening and constructing new embankments where needed. All work will be completed before monsoon," he said.
"Officials are paying only lip service to our problems," claimed Harekrushna Rout of Singhgaon, where residents recently demanded an inspection of the embankments to assess their safety.
