Madhya Pradesh: Check Dam Built Two Years Ago Washes Out In First Rain

Uchehara (Madhya Pradesh): A check dam constructed in Lakhmad village in the district two years ago at a cost of Rs 10 lakh could not withstand the first rain of this monsoon and was washed away nearly 15 days ago.

The check dam was built to store water of rivers and streams flowing in the district to deal with water shortage in summers.

When the dam was being constructed, it was said that cattle would also meet their thirst from the water of the dam.

Nonetheless, because of the poor quality of material used in the dam, it was washed away.

Villagers like Anil Bagri, Ganga Dahia and others alleged that poor quality of work led to the washout of the check dam.

Soil-mixed sand of the rivers in Uchehara and a lesser amount of cement were used to build the check dam, they further said.

The check dam was constructed when the former Panchayat members were in power.

Nevertheless, instead of the Panchayat head, another person was pulling the strings.

Consequently, the work was done under the supervision of the then Rojgar Sahayak.

Although two years have passed since the dam was constructed, senior officers did not pay any attention to the quality of work.

The villagers submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional magistrate, chief executive officer of Janpad, district collector and the chief executive officer of the district Panchayat, but nothing has been done to probe the case.

When the issue was put up before, assistant engineer Salil Singh, he said an inquiry into the incident would be instituted and guilty punished.

Singh further said that he had received information about the dam in Jakhi Panchayat and that a probe into the case was going on.

Action will be taken against the guilty, he said.