Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 | Last Update : 01:41 AM IST
Dam was repaired month ago: Officials
Fadnavis said reason for this will be probed and action would be taken against guilty.
Mumbai: The Tiware Dam in Ratnagiri district, which breached late on Tuesday night leading to flood-like situation in downstream villages, was repaired barely a month ago.
According to the soil and water conservation department officials, the Tiware dam is an earthen dam, which was constructed in the year 2004. Some part of the dam caved-in in the month of May and the villagers had brought it to the notice of the authorities.
Accordingly, the department officials repaired the part by filling the earth with the help of JCB machines and tractors. The repairs were completed on May 19 and 20.
Maharashtra water resources minister, Girish Mahajan said, “Villagers in the area had complained about the cracks in the dam. This dam was built 14 years ago. The state will find out who was at fault and the necessary action will be taken accordingly. Homes of the villagers that were washed away will be constructed at safe places.”
Despite the repair works, Twenty three persons are feared dead and 13 bodies have been recovered so far.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry into the incident. “The reason for the breach will be probed and action would be taken against the guilty expeditiously,” Mr Fadnavis said.
A preliminary report prepared by the department said that the Tiware Dam following incessant rains reached its full supply level at 5 pm on Tuesday and started overflowing. It breached between 9 and 9.30 pm and about 100 to 150-metre length of the dam was washed out.
The official said, “The villagers informed that the chief wall of the dam has developed cracks. Following this, the gorge filling of about 125 to 150 metres of the wall was washed out. Before villagers downstream could be alerted, the dam developed a rupture flooding the villages and hamlets within minutes. Seven downstream villages, which include Akle, Riktoli, Ovali, Kalkavne and Nandivase have been flooded.”
Built on a rivulet in Chiplun, the dam has a storage capacity of 20 lakh cubic metres. Its total length and height are 308 metres and 28 metres respectively. The dam spillway was 75 width and 210 metres long.
