Khuga Canal breaches yet again
Source: The Sangai Express

Khuga Canal breaches yet again , June 25 2009: Just a few days after IFC Minister N Biren gleefully did the thumbs up in the air after witnessing a sizeable agricultural land irrigated by Khuga Dam, the eastern canal last night again changed its course following a collapse on the earthen wall.

Today's breakdown in the right canal of Khuga at Mualbem village, about 9 kms from the main Dam was the second instance since a trial run was initiated mid last year.

On 9 July, 2008 the dam breached at 3.1 kms during its trial run.

Men and machineries at work to repair the breached stretched of Khuga canal

The latest canal breach, according to officials was a result of the earthen canal being in contact with a pond.

Villagers of Muolbem, most part of which was flooded early in the morning due to the breach in the canal said they came to know about the incident at around 4 in the morning.

A couple of fish pond, a football ground and about 5 Pari of paddy fields were submerged with water from the canal.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, IFC Minister N Biren rushed to the site where the canal had breached and stationed himself there till late in the evening to supervise the repairing work.

A bulldozer, a JCB and a couple of tippers were immediately deployed as the Minister landed at the site at around 12 noon with his entire security entourage in the isolated village.

The Minister's prompt response to tackle the situation took even the security establishment here by surprise as it took almost three hours for the local police to reach the site.

The SP arrived at around 3 pm while his subordinate officers followed suit.

Though officials claimed that they are trying to restore the canal today itself, the heavy machineries took time to reach the site and it is expected that it will take at least another day to fully restore the canal as the crater that needs to be filled is huge.

Taken aback by the second collapse on the canal, N Biren today ordered department engineers to check and re-check any serious water seepage along the canal course.

It is worth mentioning here that rampant seepage of water was reported in many parts of the canal with some farmers even struggling to control the water flow.

Though agriculture activities on the fields along the canal have picked up tempo, any failure by the department to check further breach on the canal could cause a tragedy as the constant water seepage can wash away the fields below in case of monsoon rains attaining normalcy.

Biren informed The Sangai Express that he will take department officials concerned to task to avoid any further setback on the canal but nevertheless added that the department was facing a financial crunch at the moment.