PERNEM
A canal of the Tillari Dam breached at Casarvarnem in Pernem on Monday morning, inundating the main road and plantations in the area. The damaged portion of the canal was repaired later in the evening.
According to reports, the canal breached at about 9 am and huge amounts of water along with mud began flowing on the main road and nearby plantations.
Casarvarnem Sarpanch Pandurang Parsekar said motorists struggled to move on the inundated road in the morning.
“I alerted panchayat talathi Samir Dhuri who then notified the Mamledar,” said Parsekar.
Pernem BJP Block President Tulshidas Gawas said he also notified Deputy Collector Ravishankar Nipanikar of the incident.
“The deputy collector directed Mamledar Anant Malik and the Water Resources Department (WRD) to clear the road,” said Nipanikar.
Many alarmed locals also contacted Pernem MLA and Deputy CM Babu Ajgaonkar regarding the incident.
The locals have blamed the WRD for failing to maintain the canals, which had led to the incident on Monday. They said water from the Tillari Dam is provided to fields at Hankhane, Chandel, Hasapur, Kasarwarne, Nagzar, Dhargal and claimed that the canal had become weak at many places.
Meanwhile, the WRD repaired the damaged portion of the canal by about 6 pm, while the Pernem Fire Station also cleared the road and restored traffic along the route.
