Bilaspur reservoir gate collapse triggers flash floods and wipes out crops

A gate of the Bilaspur reservoir gave way with a loud blast late Friday night, sending thousands of cusecs of water gushing out like a runaway river within minutes. People in Bhupdevpur village woke to the sound of the blast. Before anyone could make sense of it, the old NH-49 Kharsia-Raigarh road had disappeared under water, and standing crops on hundreds of acres were already being swept away.

Families scrambled in the dark, not knowing where the water would go next. Those living in riverside villages grabbed whatever they could and moved to higher ground. The highway, usually a busy stretch, turned into a flowing stream, with vehicles stuck on both sides and nowhere to go.

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The sight was heartbreaking, especially for the farmers. Fields they had tended for months, growing paddy and vegetables, were now submerged under a sheet of water. Many had been expecting a decent harvest.

According to officials, some people had apparently opened the gate of the reservoir to draw water for irrigating their fields, following which the structure gave way. However, locals alleged that the gate had been rusting for years and nobody had bothered to maintain it properly.

All through the night, villagers and administrative teams worked side by side. They rushed sandbags and whatever material they could find to try and plug the breach. Officials kept saying that they would get it under control in an hour or two. The repair work continued as the sun came up.

Sub Divisional Officer Dileshwar Patre of the irrigation department said they were keeping a close watch and the gate would be fixed soon. Sub Divisional Magistrate S. Thalapathi also confirmed that relief and control efforts were on. For now, the water is slowly being brought under control.

The villagers are now demanding a permanent solution. They don’t want to go through another horrific incident like this. They also want someone to answer for what happened, whether it was negligence, poor maintenance, or something else.