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Loss of fine silt on riverbank is cause of earth-caving, says report

BHUBANESWAR: A three-member team of the State Water Resource Department probing the occurrence of subsidence in Balasore town said gradual loss of fine silt over the years on right bank of the Budhabalanga river might have created a crack on the earth surface.

The team comprised P. R. Padhee, basin manager of Lower Mahanadi Basin, Subrat Rath, deputy director of basin planning, and Bijoy Kumar Das, superintending engineer of drainage circle. Balasore, however, could not come up with any conclusive finding.

They suggested that help of Geological Survey of India (GSI) be sought before taking up remedial measures.

A subsidence had occurred at Kahnu Beherasahi in Balasore town in close proximity to the right bank of Budhabalanga on July 21.

The subsidence was 250-metre-long and width varying from five metres to 27 metres while the beginning and end portion of the subsidence region connected to the river.

Under its impact a two-storied building had suffered extensive damage while in the subsidence portion a number of coconut trees, mango trees and bamboo bushes were standing erect without any tilt, the team reported.

“There were about eight very old spurs constructed during 1962.

These spurs were constructed to protect the right bank from heavy scour. Only one spur which is within the subsidence zone is protruding into the river without any sign of disturbance while all other spurs had lost their significance due to heavy deposits,” it said.

The three engineers proposed drilling to identify the sub-soil strata.

Temporary remedial measures, on trial basis, should be taken up immediately to prevent further loss of property and the bushes should be removed without disturbing trees, they suggested.

Moreover, the team said the crack should be filled with the sand to make a level ground up to the subsidence level. It further recommended that the behaviour of subsidence be observed in the ensuing rainy season.

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