Balangir: Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, the Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Odisha’s Balangir constituency, has appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for an immediate technical investigation into the damages incurred by the newly built Chattamakhana Dam amid recent heavy rains.

Reported issues include the erosion of the cut-off wall and the failure of embankments downstream, which has raised alarms about the dam’s safety and structural integrity, as noted by Singh Deo in his communication to the chief minister.

Singh Deo highlighted that the dam was constructed under an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) framework, yet there were significant alterations from the initial design as presented in the tender.

The representation detailed that the waterway was decreased from 256 meters to 206 meters, the number of gates was cut from 18 to 14, and the length of the impervious floor was shortened from 80 meters to 50 meters. Despite these modifications, the design discharge remained at 2,760 cubic meters per second.

He called for an independent review to determine if the adjusted design met relevant engineering standards and was capable of managing the designated flood discharge safely.

The MLA also requested an assessment of whether the design flood had properly accounted for the influences of the upstream Lower Suktel Dam. He insisted that accountability should be established wherever any shortcomings are identified.

Additionally, he demanded that the findings of the inquiry be made public. Should the investigation reveal flaws in design, construction, or workmanship, Singh Deo emphasized that all necessary repairs and corrections to the dam should be executed at the contractor’s expense, in line with the EPC contract.