Kothar, April 24: Concerns are growing among local residents over the quality of construction work in the Kochila Barrage project being built at a cost of Rs 500 crore in Dhamnagar block.
The project, located under Arjunpur Panchayat, is being constructed on the Baitarani River. Recently, about 150 feet of the left embankment at Mamdula collapsed, raising serious safety concerns for nearby villages such as Mamdula, Daspari, Sail, Balipatana, Mathsahi, Hasanabad, and Astak, spread across three panchayats.
The barrage was originally conceived during the previous government to control floods and provide irrigation support to farmers. The foundation stone was laid by former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, following efforts by former MLA Muktikant Mandal.
Although construction has progressed under the new government, allegations of substandard work have surfaced. Locals are now questioning whether the project will bring development or disaster.
If constructed properly, the barrage has the potential to significantly improve flood control and agricultural productivity. However, poor-quality construction and lack of proper planning could instead pose serious risks to the region.
The Baitarani Suraksha Manch has expressed concern over the situation and warned of protests if the issues are not resolved soon.
When contacted, Chief Engineer Sanjeeb Kumar Sahu stated that the work is being closely monitored. He explained that the embankment collapse was caused due to excavation of the wall and assured that repair work will be carried out
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