Never got irrigation water from Naggal dam: Villagers

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service 

Mohali, August 19 

A day after flash floods in the rural belt of the New Chandigarh area, the Mohali administration has sought a detailed report from the Department of Soil Conservation on the breach in the Naggal dam here. 

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said he had sought a detailed report in this connection.

ALSO READ: Naggal dam gives way, triggers flash floods

“Today, the department sent me a report in which it was mentioned that the catchment area of the earthen check dam received an overnight rainfall of 91 mm, which was extraordinarily high. Due to it, the spillways of the dam were blocked by the debris and it breached. However, I have asked the department to send me a detailed report,” said Dayalan.

The flash floods played havoc in  the area, particularly in three villages — Chhoti Naggal, Badi Naggal and Mirzapur — yesterday. At least 15 head of cattle, six houses and four bridges were washed away in the floods, which hit the area around 8 am yesterday following the breach in the dam.

According to residents of Chhoti Naggal and Badi Naggal villages, the dam was constructed around eight years ago for providing irrigation water to their fields. “We had opposed the construction of an earthen dam here. We never got any water for irrigation from the dam as the pipeline, which was laid for the purpose, started leaking at several places just a few months after it was laid. Apparently it was of substandard material,” alleged one of the residents.

The Mohali Deputy Commissioner said he would look into the matter. “So far, the breach in the dam is being plugged by using sand bags,” said Dayalan.

DC orders repair

As roads and bridges leading to Chhoti Naggal and Mirzapur villages have been damaged, the Mohali Deputy Commissioner issued orders for carrying out immediate repairs on Monday. “We are waiting for the weather to clear. The repair work will be started soon,” said the Deputy Commissioner. He said all seasonal rivulets originating from the Shivalik Hills, the Ghaggar and the Tangri were in spate. “We are keeping a close eye on the situation. Our teams are ready to deal with any emergency,” said Dayalan. He said around 70 students of a school, who were stranded at Abheypur village, had been shifted to Chandigarh by buses after clearing blockages. “Landslides had cut off Mirzapur village. The road has been reopened now,” said Dayalan.

Dist Admn identifies 23 evacuation points

The district administration has identified 23 evacuation points in case of an emergency where facilities such as food, water, medicines and washrooms have been made available. “Besides, adequate fodder for livestock has also been made available at these points,” said the Deputy Commissioner.