RCC dam caves in over Thongjaorok river
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 07 2011:
An RCC bridge constructed by the Minor Irrigation Department across Thongjaorok river this February collapsed last month.
The RCC dam was constructed with the main objective of providing irrigation facilities to the northern and eastern agricultural fields of Toubul and Khoijuman.
Construction work of the dam began in February and concluded in the same month though the dam was only half complete.
Exposing complete lack of quality control in building the dam, some parts of the dam had already caved in by the first week of May, said some farmers of Toubul and Khoijuman.
Later, the farmers and a team of media persons jointly inspected the condition of the collapsed dam.
Besides all the tell-tale signs of total lack of quality control, the joint team observed that the dam built in the form of a retaining wall was not fit enough to withstand pressure of the water current.
Interestingly, level of the culvert through which water should be diverted from the dam for irrigation of agricultural fields was higher than the level of the dam.
As such, it was glaringly evident that water released through the dam would never reach the culvert.
On the other hand, consequent upon construction of the dam, agricultural fields on the other side of the dam have started facing water shortage which was not the case earlier.
Further, the dam has become a factor for delaying seasonal cultivation of rice.
"Should the dam be built here, it should have been constructed scientifically with technical expertise so that it provides certain benefits to the area", the farmers said.
They further appealed to the authorities concerned not to build any dam there if such dams would cause destruction of properties in the area.