Public meet blames contractor, engineers for Sekmai dam collapse
Technical lapses, alleges MLA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 09 2015 :
A public meeting held today on the controversial Sekmai dam which was swept away by surging flood water in the wake of continuous torrential rain on July 23 has decided to fix accountability on the engineers concerned of Minor Irrigation Department and the contractor.
The meeting was held at Awang Sekmai in the upstream of the swept away dam under the aegis of the Koirengei Awang Chaokhat-Thourang Committee.
Among others, Lamsang A/C MLA W Brajabidhu was present at the meeting where it was resolved to urged MI Department to construct a kutcha dam in place of the swept way mini-dam before this paddy season is over.
Notably, it was Chief Minister O Ibobi himself who stated on the floor of the House that there was nothing to be feared about possible breach or collapse of the mini-dam constructed at the cost of Rs 4.22 crore funded by NEC with MI Department as implementing agency.
Speaking at the meeting, Brajabidhu stated that there were technical lapses as well as lack of supervision in the process of constructing the dam.
He said that he would discuss what should be done now with the MI Chief Engineer and the concerned Executive Engineer at his quarters tomorrow morning.
He also invited representatives of the committee to the meeting.
Committee advisor Nandalal Angomcha said that a diversion for the river current was made by volunteers of 10 villages located to the North of Koirengei before the dam was constructed.
At that time, the water level was low.
But today the water level is so high that it would be impractical for volunteers to build a bund across the river.
As such, MI Department should take the onus of building a bund across the river in time for this paddy season else paddy cultivation in the area would end in total failure, Nandalal said.