Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): Jabalpur’s Bargi Dam is currently at its full capacity level of 423.5 meters, causing a serious safety concern.
The dam’s internal gallery - which is used for water drainage, seepage checks, and safety monitoring - has been placed on high alert.
According to sources, Block No. 4/10 of the gallery is experiencing unusually high water seepage which is much above the normal limit.
FP Photo
This has raised serious concerns about the dam’s internal safety. When questioned about the issue, officials shifted responsibility saying they had informed their senior office in writing.
Notably, the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department had inspected the seepage back on 31 July 2024.
The normal seepage level was recorded at 0.05 liters. It has now increased to 0.06 liters, which is 0.015 liters above the safe limit.
FP Photo
According to experts, this poses a serious threat to the safety of the dam.
After this inspection, the Chief Engineer of Bargi Hills had officially written to the Dam Safety Directorate in Bhopal on 1 August 2024 and had requested a safety audit.
However, no action or response has been taken so far.
At present, the situation is so critical that any disruption in electricity supply or dewatering motors, could increase seepage further and endanger the dam’s safety.
Dam security staff have expressed fear for their lives and said that they are working under constant risk and pressure due to this negligence.
