Barely 24 hours before the inauguration of the RS389.31 crore Gateshwar Panth Canal Project, a major part of the dam collapsed on Tuesday, according to media reports. Water has entered Kahalgaon and flooded many homes in low-lying areas.
Defending the administration, Minister of Water Resources Lallan Singh told ANI, “The dam broke due to release of water in full capacity. The incident has not caused any damage to the newly constructed part of the project.” The dam was to be inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, but it will now be delayed.
The dam was built to collect water in the canal to ensure a sustained supply for farmers.