Probe water resources mismanagement: Congress

BHUBANESWAR: Alleging serious irregularities in the management of river  embankments, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh on Thursday demanded a probe into the activities of the Water Resources  Department. After visiting the flood-affected Nimapara and Gop blocks of Puri district,  Singh said people of the two blocks complained that the Government had not taken any steps to strengthen the river embankments in their areas during the last decade.Similar was the allegation of the people of Niali block. If that is the case, Naveen, who has been holding the Water Resources portfolio for 11 years, owes an explanation to public as to where the money is going. Flood is a recurring feature in the State and the Government is spending crores of rupees every year for repair and restoration of river embankments. Condition of the embankments has never improved and  many of the ‘bunds’ are unable to withstand even small and medium floods, he said. Alleging the current flood is man-made, Singh said there was more flow in the Mahanadi river system in 2008 though less number of Hirakud dam gates were opened. Flood water from the Tel river to the Mahanadi system caused maximum damage in the downstream. However, the situation this year is completely different. Senior BJP leader and former water resources minister Bijay Mohapatra accused the Government a couple of days ago that the current flood was done with a motive.  Disputing the Government’s claim on relief distribution, Singh said the flood-affected people of Gop and Nimapara blocks are yet to get any.