BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Monday targeted the ruling BJD for the artificial breach in Kelua river embankment in Jajpur district. Claiming that the man-made breach of the embankment is the handiwork of BJD’s Dharmasala MLA Pranab Balbantray and his uncle Naren Jena, a junior engineer in Roads and Building Division, BJP State general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar said the embankment was blew off by using dynamite. She said Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and Jajpur Collector have also admitted that the breach was man-made.
The 300 feet breach in the embankment at Kotpur under Dharmasala block has marooned 67 villages and more than 5,000 families in riverside villages have lost their livelihoods.The BJP leader said `24.42 crore was spent to strengthen the embankment last year so that it can withstand any kind of floods. The embankment was deliberately destroyed to benefit a set a of contractors, engineers and local political leaders.
She said Jena, who has been posted in Dharmasala division for the last 20 years, has developed vested interest as he is getting political protection from the local MLA.The BJP leader urged the State Government to take strong action against the uncle-nephew duo under appropriate sections of Explosive Act and National Disaster Management Act for putting public lives at risk.
Meanwhile, alleging that BJP spokesperson Lekharshree Samantasinghar has made it a habit of levelling false, baseless, fabricated and personal allegations to stay politically relevant, BJD spokesperson Sulata Deo said an FIR has been filed in this case and police investigation is on. “If she has any evidence, let her produce it before the district administration or the police,” she said.
Instead of doing that, to play cheap politics when the state is fighting Covid as well as floods is unfortunate and condemnable, Deo said and hoped that Samantasinghar will refrain from further levelling false, baseless and personal allegations which are without any evidence.
Engineer-in-Chief of Water Resources department Jyotirmay Rath told media that the breach in the embankment between Ramapur and Bruddhalinga villages was man-made. He said the administration has ordered a probe into the incident.