Over 200 check dams in Jashpur lack water retention gates

Jashpur | Correspondent: Over 200 check dams have been constructed in the Farasbahar block of Jashpur district to retain rainwater.

However, these check dams are neither tall enough to retain water nor equipped with gates to control its flow.

Farmers in the surrounding areas have expressed concerns over the lack of sufficient water for irrigation due to the absence of gates.

This issue becomes particularly severe after the monsoon season and worsens during the summer when river levels drop, causing the dams to dry up.

The Farasbahar block, which comprises 58 villages, has seen the construction of multiple check and stop dams.

Earlier dams were built at a cost of ₹15-16 lakh, while the more recent ones cost ₹19 lakh.

Despite the investment, key areas like Sonajori drain, Jharmunda stop dam, and Baaro dam suffer from the same issue—water that should be retained in the dams flows away due to the missing gates, leaving the dams dry.

As a result, the villagers have been unable to benefit from these structures, forcing farmers to construct their own earthen dams for water retention.