Sendhwa (Madhya Pradesh): Mehtgaon dam has only five days of water supply left, spreading alarm among town residents. The situation has become critical as water released from the Relavati dam failed to reach the filter plant even after 10 days.
An investigation revealed that farmers along the river banks are diverting water for their use, preventing it from flowing downstream.
When municipal officials visited the Chikhli stop dam, they discovered that villagers had damaged four walls by removing parts below the waterline and inserting iron rods, making the dam gates inoperable.
Municipal sub-engineer Vishal Joshi and spokesperson Sunil Agarwal inspected the Chikhli and Ghudchal dams to assess the situation. They found that while the Chikhli dam had filled, water levels at Ghudchal remained one and a half feet below expected levels and dropping by two inches instead of rising.
To address this emergency, Municipality president Basanti Bai Yadav and CMO Madhu Chaudhary ordered the release of water from both dams. However, when workers attempted to open the Chikhli dam gates, they couldn't operate them due to the damage.
The municipality has called professional divers from Omkareshwar to repair the underwater damage. They've also requested oxygen tanks, masks and uniforms from the SDRF department to support the repair efforts. Officials suspect the Ghudchal Barrage may have similar damage requiring repairs.
President Yadav has appealed to residents to conserve water during this crisis. "We're constantly monitoring the situation and doing our best to prevent a water shortage," she said, noting that six new tube wells have been dug to help address the problem
