Bhagalpur: Following a breach in the Brahmauttar bund in Gopalpur block late on Thursday night, teams from the district administration, water resources department (WRD) officials and local villagers worked overnight to plug the gap.The Dhobaniya Zamindari dam on Kalbaliya river in Rangra block of Naugachhia subdivision also suffered a 20-foot breach around 4.30am on Friday due to soil erosion. Floodwater began spilling towards PWD Road No. 14, causing panic among local residents.WRD and district administration teams managed to control the spread of floodwater after work began on constructing barricades along the roadside.Sand-filled bags are being placed to prevent water from overtopping the dam, while layers of plastic sheeting are being laid on the river side to reduce water pressure and soil erosion and prevent further flooding in localities adjoining the embankment.WRD assistant engineer Murari Prasad Singh and junior engineer Avinash Kumar, along with technical teams, are present at the Dhobaniya Zamindari dam erosion site, where rescue and protective operations are underway. Similar operations are being carried out at Budhiya Dam (Sadopur Ring Dam) under Baniya Baisi panchayat and other vulnerable locations.District magistrate Alankrita Pandey said the district administration was on high alert regarding the safety of embankments and dams amid rising water levels in the Ganga and its tributaries. Technical teams from the administration and departments concerned were camping at breach sites and carrying out preventive work on a war footing, she said.“We are also continuously monitoring all vulnerable dams and embankments. Administrative officials and WRD engineers have been instructed to take immediate action in coordination with each other,” the DM said, adding that timely efforts to control soil erosion and breaches and keep surrounding areas and major roads safe were the administration’s priority.The breach at the Brahmauttar Dam in Gopalpur block has been successfully controlled, the DM said, adding that timely intervention by the WRD technical team, local administration and local villagers helped contain it.
