Rs 389-crore dam collapses in Bihar a day before inauguration

Bhagalpur: A major portion of the Gateshwar Panth Canal Project dam worth Rs 389.31 crore collapsed on Tuesday, 24 hours before its inauguration ceremony by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"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," said Minister of Water Resources, Lallan Singh defending the administration.

As per a report, the government spent Rs. 389.31 crore and set up the Bateshwarasthan Ganga Pump Canal Project under the irrigation scheme at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur. 

The dam was reportedly built to collect water in the canal and facilitate farmers.

The collapse led to waterlogging with water entering many homes of low-lying areas.

The concerned officials promptly reached the spot soon after the incident.

The project would have provided irrigation to 18,620 hectares in Bhagalpur and 22,658 hectares in Godda district of Jharkhand.

The project plan was initially of Rs 13.88 crore. In January 1977, however, the Planning Commission had approved the scheme at a cost of Rs 13.88 crore.

(With ANI inputs)