Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The lack of warning regarding the release of dam water left many families unprepared and unable to salvage their belongings here in the holy town of Omkareshwar, situated barely a kilometre from the Omkareshwar dam on the bank of the Narmada River. In addition to the displacement of these families, shopkeepers also faced setbacks as their shops and merchandise were severely damaged, resulting in substantial monetary losses.
The lack of official communication regarding the sudden rise in water levels left the residents unaware of the potential danger. Consequently, when they woke up in the morning, they were taken aback to find the main ghats completely submerged, highlighting the urgency for improved information dissemination in such situations.
However, the lack of proper communication and warning from the local administration left the residents unprepared for such a drastic increase in water levels. This oversight resulted in a chaotic situation as people struggled to evacuate and protect their belongings amidst the unexpected flooding. But no responsible officer came here and gave any information. Due to this unsuspecting families had to suffer huge losses. Many families also became homeless. Former councillor and advocate Manish Purohit said that this flood was manmade.
According to Ranjit Bhavriya of Matri Raksha Sangathan, due to the unveiling programme of the Shankaracharya statue, the dam management, on the instructions of the government, did not open the gates of the dam and kept the water in check despite the continuous rains for the last few days. Besides, they waited for the convoy of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. As soon as he left, the gate was opened at 1 am and water was released.
Due to this, hundreds of families have been affected. It is the responsibility of the Madhya Pradesh government and the district administration; action should be taken by the High Court on all these, they alleged.
Raja Rao Pushpendra Singh of Omkareshwar said that this was not a flood but a conspiracy to uproot the people. The sudden release of water has caused a lot of damage. Even the next day the responsible officers did not arrive to inquire about the condition of the victims, he blamed.
