Madhya Pradesh's Karam Dam collapse averted; villagers return to their homes

A major disaster was averted in Madhya Pradesh, when villagers from 18 villages were shifted to shelter camps after a breach was reported in the Karam dam under construction in Dhar district, Dhamnod. The villagers have now returned to their homes after the water was released through a channel on Sunday (August 14).

Last week on Thursday (August 11), a leakage was reported from the dam, which is being constructed about 35 km from the district headquarters. A flood alert was sounded downstream of the reservoir, where 18 villages in the adjoining districts of Dhar and Khargone were in danger of being inundated.

However, earth-moving machines were deployed to dig a channel for the water to be released from the dam reservoir. Congratulating the drivers of these earth-moving machines, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a reward of ₹ two lakh each for them.

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Pointing out that the crisis is over for all 18 villages, the CM congratulated the officials and workers who had prevented the disaster. According to the CM, the successful and timely way the leakage in Karam Dam was handled is an “excellent example of splendid disaster management”.

Besides the National Disaster Response Force and army personnel, engineering and hydrology experts also toiled to save the dam from crumbling under the pressure of 15 million cubic meters (MCM) water ( roughly 15 billion litres).

The Karam dam, 590 metres wide and 52 metres high, is being constructed for the past four years, at an estimated cost of ₹ 304 crore. The dam, when completed will help to irrigate around 10,500 hectares of farmland in 52 villages.