Heavy flooding has hit several villages in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar after a massive 40-foot breach occurred in the embankment of the Tirhut canal on Sunday. The sudden gush of water from the damaged canal rapidly submerged extensive swathes of agricultural fields near Raksa village under the Marwan block. This incident has triggered severe panic among local farmers who now face the imminent threat of losing their standing crops, particularly paddy, to the sudden deluge.
Villages Flooded and Infrastructure Damaged
The sudden rupture of the embankment on Sunday morning sent torrents of water sweeping through the surrounding low-lying areas. The primary impact was felt across Raksa, Bishunpur, and Chainpur, alongside nearly half a dozen other adjacent villages. Approximately five acres of agricultural land have already been completely submerged under several feet of water. Local residents expressed deep concern that if the heavy inflow of water is not controlled immediately, the deluge will soon reach residential areas and cause extensive damage to homes. Furthermore, the strong current of the escaping water has severely damaged the road built along the canal, disrupting local transportation and leaving commuters stranded as key pathways remain waterlogged.
Local Outrage and Questions Over Construction Quality
Following the incident, hundreds of angry villagers gathered at the site of the breach to protest against the local administration and the Water Resources Department. The public resentment is intensified by the fact that a similar breach had occurred in the exact same area just about a month ago on August 9. Following that previous disaster, repair and concrete strengthening works were recently carried out on the embankment. The recurrence of a major breach in such a short span of time has raised serious questions among the local population regarding the quality of materials used and the integrity of the reconstruction work. Many villagers accused the authorities of negligence and sub-standard execution of critical flood-control infrastructure.
Investigation Underway as Sabotage Suspected
Upon receiving reports from the distressed villagers, Kanti MLA and former minister Engineer Ajit Kumar took immediate action by alerting the Marwan block administration, the Water Resources Department, and the local police force. Responding to the crisis, Western Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sneha Kumari confirmed that the concerned departments were immediately put on high alert and emergency repair operations have already commenced on the damaged section of the canal. She noted that the water level in the canal was not high enough to cause a spontaneous breach under normal circumstances, which has prompted the administration to launch a formal investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, Engineer Ajit Kumar has taken a strong stance, categorizing the incident as a deliberate conspiracy rather than an accident. Drawing parallels to the previous breach on August 9, the MLA asserted that the canal's embankment did not crumble under water pressure but was deliberately cut by some anti-social elements. He has demanded that the police administration register a First Information Report (FIR) and conduct a comprehensive investigation to uncover the truth behind this recurring sabotage.
