Floods: River embankments to be strengthened

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to strengthen the embankment of the Tel, the Hati and the Udanti rivers to deal with the flash floods in Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts.

 The total length of the embankments is 54 km. Official sources said that ` 90 crore would be required for strengthening the embankments. A decision was taken to request National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for financial assistance to implement the project.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surjya Narayan Patro at the Secretariat today.

For strengthening of embankment at vulnerable points ` 3 crore will be needed out of which the Water Resources Department will provide ` 1 crore and ` 2 crore will be made available by the Revenue Department. Apart from strengthening of the embankments, the submergible culvert near Junagarh over the Hati river on NH-201 will be replaced by a high-level bridge. The project will be undertaken by the Works Department.

Among others, Secretaries of Rural Development, Water Resources, Revenue and senior officials were   present.