Bhopal: Water from a newly built Karam reservoir in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district was released to Narmada river through multiple alternative passages and over 6,000 villagers returned to their homes after spending three days at relief camps.
The relentless joint efforts of army, local administration and labourers dug multiple alternate drains (passages) to reduce the water from the reservoir, as the seepage of water from its wall had become a bigger challenge for the administration to save the life of people nearby it.
While addressing on 15th August’s gathering at Motilal Nehru stadium in Bhopal, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced Rs. 2 lakh award for all those whose efforts made this possible and flood situation was averted.
On the other hand, the opposition Congress accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government of corruption in building reservoir. The Congress alleged that the government spent Rs. 305 crore to build reservoir, which could not store water, even first season of rain. The construction of reservoir was still underway.
Former chief minister and MP Congress head Kamal Nath on Tuesday visited the spot and met the residents whose crops were damaged due to flood in Dhar district. Notably, due to fear of break of reservoir’s wall that could have resulted flood, people of 18 villages were shifted to relief camps.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said the situation in Dhar district, where a breach was reported in a wall of the reservoir, is under control now. He also said about a bypass channel being created, which will help enable the discharge of water to reduce the pressure on the reservoir walls.
However, later the wall of the reservoir was swept with water but before it, alternative passages were already created and water was releases through these channels.
“I did inspection of Karam dam and met the people whose crops got damaged due to heavy rain and flood in Dhar. Villagers have lost their corps and it has happened due to the corrupt practices of the BJP government. This has exposed the BJP’s fake promises and there is possibility that the same situation may occur with some other dams also,” Kama Nath said during a visit to Dhar on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, amid rising demand of action against responsible officers whose lucrative approach had put the life of thousands of people at stake, the state administration has ordered an inquiry in the matter.
“A committee of four senior officials has been appointed to investigate the matter. Whoever will be found guilty will be punished. The committee will investigate the issue from all angels and will submit its report within a week,” said Tulsi Silawat, Minister of Water Resources in Madhya Pradesh.
–IANS