KENDRAPADA: With the monsoon approaching, panic has gripped people living in the riverside villages of Kendrapada district because embankments are yet to be repaired in Aul, Rajkanika, Rajnagar, Garadapur and Mahakalapada areas.
“We are worried as officials are yet to repair river embankments in our village,” said Sarbeswar Das of Manapur.
Many villages faced the onslaught of flood during the cyclone.
Recently, villagers urged authorities to inspect river embankments to gather first-hand information about their safety.
But villagers alleged that the ongoing repair work is sub-standard in nature.
“Large number of stones have been washed away but those are not being replaced,” alleged Ajit Behera of Bahakandia village.
“The embankments at Belapala, Nagar, Rajapura, Koilipur, Badakota, Kankadia , Koilipur, Dihapari, Baragaon, Jarimula and other villages are also unsafe,” alleged Rajendra Rout, a teacher of Koilipur village.
The rampant corruption and irregularities on the part of the irrigation department is a big impendiment for proper repair and construction of river embankments.
Some contractors are in clear nexus with the engineers and ruling party leaders are looting a major chunk of the money meant for repair of river embankments,” alleged Amar Biswal, vice-president of the district citizen’s forum.
District emergency officer Sambeet Satapathy said, “The district administration recently organised a district-level natural calamity meeting to chalk out plans to repair river embankments and protect the riverside villagers during floods.
All the embankments will be properly repaired soon.”