NTPC dismisses blame for canal breach as 'baseless'

The NTPC today dismissed the allegation that an underpass constructed by it below a canal could have weakened the canal and led to its breach in Bhagalpur as "baseless and far from reality".
"NTPC has to submit that the allegations so levelled against us are baseless and far from reality. We are a Government of India, Maharatna Company who is well aware of our reputation and our responsibilities. More so, when we have to take up any work in the public domain," a statement from NTPC Kahalgaon said on the canal breach incident.
Water Resources Minister (WRD) Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan had yesterday alleged that construction of an underpass by the NTPC beneath the Batheshwarsthan canal on Ganga which probably weakened it resulting in caving in of portion of wall of the canal due to force of ganga water after pump was started as trial run on Tuesday, a day before inauguration of the project.

The minister had raised doubts if NOC was acquired before construction of the underpass.
The canal was built during the period 1985-88 and underpass is believed to have been constructed a little after that time.
Even, principal secretary of WRD Arun Kumar Singh, entrusted with probe into the canal breach, had "pointed" to construction of underpass beneath the canal by NTPC.

"The construction of the public road underpass was done with all due approvals after securing the NOC from the State Irrigation Department. The drawings were developed through a competent consultant M/s Alumnus Technology, Boring Road, Patna," the NTPC statement said in its defence.

"The underpass construction has been taken up as per design intent having all the relevant Wing walls and returning walls," it added.
"When the construction of the underpass was taken up the canal embankment works adjacent to underpass were partially completed. It means that the underpass work was already completed prior to integration of canal earthen embankment work on either side of the underpass. There were no such situation that a tunnel was bored through the canal embankment to take up the underpass work.
"It is also observed that seepages at this location through the adjoining areas was persisting during rainy season and the irrigation deptt was well aware of this," it said.

The Bihar government yesterday ordered a probe into the breach of a canal in Bhagalpur, which led to the cancellation of inauguration of the irrigation project by Chief Minister and a barrage of criticism from opposition RJD and JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav.
The Rs 389.31-crore Bateshwarsthan Ganga Pump Canal Project is aimed at providing irrigation facilities in the state and neighbouring Jharkhand.
The wall broke up after being forcefully hit by the Ganga river waters when the pump was switched on for a trial run. Gushing waters entered Kahalgaon, about 3 km from the project site, and inundated areas in an NTPC township.