Rising Baitarani river in Jajpur district sparks concern 

JAJPUR: The water level in the Baitarani river in Jajpur district has risen above the danger mark as flood water entered the river for the second time this year. The water level in the river currently stands at 17.95 meters against its danger level 17.83 metre near Akhuapada village of the district. This has led to apprehension of a possible moderate flood in the system.

Following the incessant rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal in the upper catchment areas, the water level of Baitarani river has registered a sharp increase. This second flood in the Baitarani river is likely to have a severe impact on many gram panchayats of Dasarathapur in Jajpur district as the Baitarani river embankment has collapsed in two places.

This apart, the rising level of floodwater in the Baitarani River has raised concerns among the farmers of the nearby areas. As many as two breaches in the Baitarani river embankment in Dasarathapur block areas have been reported in the past ten days.

A breach of around 200 feet in the Baitarani river embankment was reported on Thursday. The incident took place near the Balarampur area within the Kamardihi Panchayat of Dasarathapur block. Earlier, a 100 feet embankment of the Baitarani river collapsed near Dattapur under the Dasarathapur block in the locality nearly ten days back.

Notably, the Water Resources Department had sanctioned Rs 13 crore for repair works in order to strengthen the Baitarani river’s embankment this year. However, the task has not been executed properly. Due to substandard work by the contractor, two places of its embankment have caved in just 10 days. This flood has subsequently led to multiple breaches in the river embankment.

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