Cracks in Maphou dam : Officials clarify
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 11: Brushing aside any major damages in Maphou dam in the backdrop of the report published recently that cracks have appeared in the dam, Engineers engaged in the dam today said that there is no crack in the Earth Dam and informed that the reported cracks are on the concrete reinforcement put on the right side of the spillway due to weathering.

The concrete was put up since work at the Dam has been suspended for a long time.

Elaborating, Assistant Engineer of Division No II of the IFCD, Vedanta Singh said that concrete reinforcement was placed on the right side of the hill side in the middle of the one km long spillway.

Hriini Hubert and Mohini Martin (Right) during happier days

However since no retaining wall was built to reinforce the southern side of the hill side, the concrete reinforcement started developing cracks due to weathering and due to the effects of gravity.

The cracks have appeared cover around 30 metres.

The retaining wall not built as the process of digging up some earth for the spillway is yet to be completed.

The reinforced concrete was put in place to protect the hill slopes.

No work to fill up the dug up portion could be carried out since the Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation has put a stop to all work at the dam since March 17 this year, explained the AE and added that the building the retaining wall was also put on hold.

Moreover the soil type is such while it was very hard while digging it up, it breaks loose easily when exposed to the vagaries of nature.

Executive Engineer W Kunjeshore said that since the work has been stopped at least 15 percent of the work progress has been practically lost.

Giving the records, the official said progress has been practically lost.

Giving the records, the official said that a one month work covers 3/4 cubic metre.

Since the work has been stopped, the machineries hired from different firms will lie idle, but the hiring charge will stay.

A large number of labourers have moved to other sites, he added.

The work on the Earth Dam is being carried out by the Hyderabad based Progressive Company while the work on the spillway is the responsibility of Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Limited, New Delhi.

The proposed height of the dam is 66 feet and 107.4 metre long and has the projected capacity to generate 7.5 Megawatts of power with three components each generating 2.5 Megawatts.

Apart from supplying 10 million gallons of water per day, the dam will have the capacity to irrigate 33,449 hectares of arable land in a year.

Work on the project started in 1980 and it was scheduled to be completed by March next year.

However if the current impasse continues, it would be impossible to meet the deadline, said the Engineers.