40 feet dam of Ranihara Dam broke, water entered villages, 22 thousand people affected
Silly. The dam of Ranihara Dam, located near Khairbeda under Gondadih Panchayat of Silli block, broke about 40 feet on Saturday. As soon as the dam broke, the water from the dam moved towards the nearby villages and fields with a strong flow. Due to the sudden influx of large amounts of water, the crops of hundreds of farmers were submerged, while the fertile soil of the fields was also washed away in the strong flow of water. It has come to light that about 22 thousand people from five villages have been affected by the incident.
There was chaos in Khairbeda and surrounding areas after part of the Ranihara Dam broke. The water started spreading rapidly in the fields and low-lying areas. It has affected many surrounding areas including Khairbeda, Bahmani, Gondadih Nayaktola, Pentola, Banstola, Satpalu, Sethabagana and Palasdih.
Farmers have suffered the most loss. The crops standing in the fields were submerged in water. Soil erosion has also occurred in many fields due to strong currents. According to the farmers, the speed of the water was so high that even the fertile soil of the fields was washed away. Due to this, along with the loss of the current crop, farmers’ worries about future farming have also increased.
Due to the breach of the dam, not only the crops were damaged, but it has also been reported that livestock farmers and fish farmers have suffered losses. Many cattle were washed away in the strong current. A large number of ducks were also washed away with the water. People associated with fisheries have suffered financial loss due to the washing away of fish worth thousands of rupees present in the dam and surrounding areas.
Due to rising water level, water also entered some houses. Due to sudden water reaching their homes, people had to try to move their belongings and cattle to safer places. The situation became more worrying for families living in low-lying areas. Villagers are now assessing the damage while waiting for the water to recede.
It is being told that due to heavy rains in the area recently, Ranihara Dam was completely filled. Due to the continuous increase in water in the dam, there was already concern among the villagers about its dam. Local people claim that they feared the dam would be damaged. On Saturday, finally about 40 feet of the dam broke and the accumulated water started flowing out rapidly.
According to the villagers, Ranihara Dam was constructed by the Water Resources Department in the year 2010-11. Crores of rupees were spent on its construction. The purpose of the dam was to provide water resources including irrigation to the surrounding areas. Now after the dam breaking, questions are being raised regarding its construction, maintenance and timely repair.
Villagers say that if the weak parts of the dam were identified in time and necessary repairs were made, the damage could probably have been reduced. However, the actual reasons for the dam breach can be confirmed only after technical investigation. Heavy rain and overflowing of the dam are said to be the main circumstances of the incident.
Local villagers including former chief W Mahali have informed the Silli administration and Block Development Officer about the incident. The villagers have demanded an early survey of the affected areas and assessment of the damage. Farmers are most worried about the standing crops and soil erosion in the fields.
After the dam breach, the everyday life of the people in the affected villages has also been affected. Water logging in fields and roads has created problems in transportation. In areas where water flow was high, it may take time for the situation to become normal. Villagers fear that the actual loss figure may increase further after the waters recede.
Due to the information that about 22 thousand people have been affected, the administration faces a big challenge in providing relief and assessing the loss. First of all, it will be necessary to identify those areas where water has entered houses or where there is a danger to people and cattle. After this, the damage caused to agricultural land, crops, livestock and other property can be assessed.
The incident has also brought to the fore the need for safety and regular monitoring of the dam. The water level of reservoirs can increase rapidly during the rainy season. In such a situation, regular inspection and timely repair of weak parts of dams is very important. Monitoring is especially important for those dams around which large populations and agricultural areas exist.
Now farmers are facing double problem. On one hand, their ready or growing crops have been submerged in water, on the other hand, due to washing away of fertile soil at many places, preparation for the next crop can also be affected. Families involved in fish and animal husbandry have suffered separate economic losses.
At present, the people of the affected villages are expecting immediate help from the administration. The villagers want that the broken part of the dam should be repaired soon, so that any new danger can be prevented. Also, a survey of the affected farmers and families should be done to properly assess the loss.
This incident of breakage of about 40 feet part of Ranihara Dam has seriously affected many nearby villages. The administration is now keeping an eye on the action amid water logging in the fields, washed away soil, loss of cattle, ducks and fish. The complete picture of the damage will become clear only after the water recedes.