Dhar/Kukshi (Madhya Pradesh): A pipeline of the Rs 1,324 crore Dahi Micro Lift Irrigation Project burst around 11 am on Wednesday in Surani village, raising questions about construction quality and safety arrangements.
Notably, the incident occurred shortly before Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was scheduled to inaugurate the project on Oct 4. The local administration had been preparing for the programme, which has since been cancelled for unspecified reasons. The Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) executed the project.
High-pressure water broke the wall of a house under construction and reached beneath its foundation, creating a risk of structural weakness. Water also spread across nearby farmland and reportedly damaged standing crops, including cotton.
Police station in-charge Sharad Barde reached the spot and advised people to stay away from the house. Villagers said water continued to flow for hours after the rupture.
According to villagers, no NVDA representative had reached the site by around 3 pm. NVDA SDO Pradeep Mujalda said the department had received information and that a staff member was coming from Jobat. Company personnel subsequently reached the site and began repair work.
Officials present at the site, including a company representative named Dubey and patwari Malviya, reportedly faced difficulty as the pipeline lies buried beneath the house. Its location has complicated repairs and prompted questions about the safety and technical checks carried out while laying the pipeline.
House owner Antarsingh Jamra said the water had weakened the foundation. At Nansingh Kharte's house, water entered the premises and damaged grain, DJ equipment and young chicks, while farm soil filled the house.
OFFICIAL SPEAK
Dhar collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena said testing of the Dahi Irrigation Project is currently underway, and the pipeline is being inspected wherever water fails to reach during the tests. At one location, construction work in progress overhead damaged the buried pipeline. He said that the agency is responsible for repairing any damage that occurs during the testing period. Many pipes were laid two to three years ago. He urged caution during construction near the pipeline route to prevent damage. The project will irrigate about 47,000 hectares, enabling cultivation of new crops.
NVDA engineer Pradeep Mujalda said a farmer was constructing a house at the site and that the leakage appeared to have resulted from an impact during construction. He said staff had been directed to repair the pipeline and assured that compensation would be provided for crop losses.
