MALKANGIRI: Panic gripped local residents after one of the two canals of Potteru irrigation project (PIP) developed a breach and submerged acres of paddy crops near MPV-75 village under Kalimela block in the wee hours on Friday.
Onlookers informed the Irrigation officials who immediately rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. Till reports last came in, around 20 acre paddy crops were inundated with over 4-5 feet high standing water.
Villagers attributed the breach to absence of lining of the canals. Such incidents have become an annual affair due to lack of timely maintenance by authorities concerned but project officials seem hardly concerned, they alleged and urged the government to provide adequate funds to complete lining work of both canals to check seepage of water.
“It is better to turn the earth canals into concrete ones to make the structures more useful and efficient,” said Rudra Sarkar, a native of Kalimela. Haripad Mondal, a farmer of MPV-75 village, too echoed similar sentiments and sought immediate action of the project officials to ensure lining of the canals for improved water flow.
Built in 1976, Balimela-based 115 km long Potteru Irrigation Project was meant to irrigate over 61,000 hectare (ha) agricultural land through Gompakonda Main Canal (GMC) and Tamasa Main Canal (TMC). However, both the canals have reportedly failed to deliver water at tail ends due to lack of lining and consequent seepage.
Potteru irrigation project division superintending engineer Mangelal Jain informed that the nearly 5-metre breach resulted due to water seepage and will be plugged with immediate effect. He informed that lining has been completed for 16 km out of 76. 1 km long Gompakonda canal and 19 km out of 79 km long Tamasa canal, and work is being carried out in a phased manner.
There is no plan for lining of Gompakonda canal this year. Proposal, however, has been sent to government for lining of Tamasa canal. Potteru Irrigation Project Chief Construction Engineer Chandra Sekhar Mishra also admitted that the canals are old and need lining which cause seepage and ultimately lead to breaches.