(Feature Image: Screenshot of NMDC’s ‘check-dam’ in flooded condition. Image Credit: NDTV MP/Chhattisgarh)
An iron ore check-dam of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NDMC) has breached and created flood disaster in downstream area of Kirandul town in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. The breach of earthen dam located between mines 11 B & 11 in eastern ridge of Bailadila range occurred around 3 pm on Jul 21, 2024 following heavy rainfall.
The subsequent deluge has affected several homes and vehicles in Bengali camp located downhill the dam in Kirandul town. There was chaos among the residents who fled to their safety seeing the flash flood. A six-year-old kid on his way to attend tuition class was washed away. The child was later rescued safely and hospitalized as per the Amar Ujala report.
At least 150-200 homes in low lying areas were impacted by the deluge carrying iron ore sludge and affected residents were shifted to community center known as Mangal Bhavan, mentions the Nai Duniya report. The ETV Bharat report states that the flood occurred due to collapse of a part of the dam which also flooded NMDC plant in Kirandul. A short video clip in the report shows red soil sludge gushing through the local roads in the area.
Social Media video clips showing flash flood damage in Kirandul area.
As per a local media report, the NMDC initially denied any breach in the dam and termed the reports as misleading. As per the NMDC management, the flood in the area was due to heavy rains. The Public Relations Department, Chhattisgarh press release also covered the incident without revealing the reason behind the breach and overall impact of the deluge.
Quoting the NMDC management, a report in ABP stated that the dam will be rebuilt after halt in the rainfall and there is no alternative arrangement to contain the iron ore sludge getting washed away downstream.
Throwing some light on scale of disaster a ground report by NDTV MP/Chhattisgarh mentions that the deluge has severely damaged more than a hundred homes and over fifty vehicles and the iron slurry has additionally damaged home appliances and killed over a dozen cattle.
The report further mentions that the NDMC has 11 B & 11 C iron ore mines located about 1 km uphill Bengali camp in Kirandul. In 1989, the NDMC built a 10 thousand cubic meter capacity check dam No. 6 there. The NDMC is supposed to clean the slurry of the check dam once in a year, however no cleaning seems to have taken place in last two years.
The 6 m high & 40 m wide check dam was built to collect iron ore waste which used to get washed away through natural stream during rainy season as per a follow up report in the Hindustan. Blaming NMDC for negligence, the report states that the check dam was not cleaned for the past two years due to a dispute between Municipal Corp Kirandul and NMDC.
As per the NMDC website there are three Iron Ore Mining Projects in Kirandul Complex namely Bailadila Deposit-14, 11 C and 11 B. The Deposit 14 is NMDC’s oldest mining project commissioned in 1968 while the Deposit 11 B was commissioned in 1988 and Deposit 11 C is commissioned in 2015.
Further a ground video report by NDTV MP/Chhattisgarh mentions that following the incident the residents protested against NMDC and blocked the main road. The affected were angry that NMDC and local administration provided no help to them after the incident. They also said that the incident was a result of NMDC’s negligence.
An affected person in the report said that there are three earthen check dams in the hills and NDMC has done nothing for their safety. He further stated that a similar incident had taken place in past following which the locals have in written asked the NDMC to ensure safety of the check dams, but no steps were taken in this regard.
The video report also shows the location of check dam in totally washed away condition. As per the report, the dam was already filled with iron ore slurry and after the rainfall it overflowed and then collapsed completely flooding the downstream areas.
Restoration Going On, Inquiry Set-Up
Given media reports stating varying figures of flood impacted homes, vehicles and confusion over breach or collapse of check-dam, we contacted Vivek Chandra SDM, Kirandul in the evening of July 25, 2024, to seek clarity on the deluge impact. As per the SDM survey report the flood has fully damaged 5-10 homes and 10-15 vehicles apart from killing 2 cattle. He stated that overall, 179 families and 750 people have been impacted by the deluge. He also said that three kids were rescued from the flood.
“We have set up relief camps, providing three-time meals and distributing ₹20,000 as immediate compensation to the affected people. We have provided cloths, blankets and will distribute ration, essential goods after cleaning”, said Vivek Chandra.
The SDM further stated that the administration is still caught up with restoration work and they will investigate the causes after it. “The deluge came suddenly downhill damaging human properties on its way. It’s not ordinary soil but iron ore waste sludge which quickly solidify after evaporation process. Hence removing it from the homes, streets, drains and roads is taking a lot of time and efforts”, said Vivek Chandra. The SDM also suspected that the floods might have impacted at least two check dams one uphill and second one on the base of the hill.
On the question of earlier flood incident from NMDC’s check dam and lack of desilting of the check dam for past two years, the SDM replied that the administration needs time to look into the details of earlier flood. “I am posted here for one and half year and NMDC should have informed us about creation of new check dam uphill and about halt in desilting work of the affected check dam”, said Vivek Chandra.
Regarding media reports blaming NMDC for negligence and whether the district administration has probed the role of corporation, we also contacted Mayank Chaturvedi, District Collector (DC) Dantewada around noon on July 26, 2024. The DC replied, “We have set up an inquiry committee on July 25, 2024, to investigate the matter. The committee will investigate all the aspects whether the flood damages are due to heavy rains or any structural failure and submit the report in seven days. Based on the inquiry report we will take the further necessary actions”.
When asked about steps being taken to prevent contamination of water sources and rivers from iron ore waste flowing downstream the area, the DC stated that administration has set up medical camps apart from taking water samples daily and carrying out disinfection exercise. As per the DC, the administration has been constantly monitoring the situation and restoration work of flood affected areas could take at least three more days.
NMDC Blames Rainfall, Encroachment
The NDMC has not released any press note or public statement on the flood disaster so far. However, an official from NMDC management in Kirandul on the condition of anonymity stated that the flood damages were largely due to heavy rainfall and encroachment of the drainage channel in Bengali camp area.
“We have no dam or check-dam but sumps with earthen bunds to contain the slurry and release water gradually. Hence there is no question of dam breach or collapse”, said the official. He further stated that the previous high rainfall record of 800 mm in three days for the area has been broken with around 1100 mm rainfall in three days between July 18 to 21, 2024.
Terming it a natural disaster, the official claimed that the deluge was result of a ‘cloudburst’ like precipitation in the area. “The nullah causing the flood has been encroached upon and choked with waste. Its width has come down from 20 meter to hardly 2-3 meter at places. People have built parking and narrow culvert on it. The flood water did not get space to flow down and invaded homes and properties in Bengali camp. The debris and waste also blocked the main bridge damaging the road there”, the official said. He denied any damage done to NDMC properties in Kirandul by the floods.
On the question of desilting and similar flood incident in past by NDMC check dam, the official answered that the sumps are to be desilted once in two years, but the exercise has not been carried out since 2021 for DC 11 sump following objections by Nagar Palika, Kirandul. He accepted that the area had faced similar floods in 2020 monsoon but claims that the damages were not much as there was less encroachment along the nullah.
The official also stated that NMDC has distributed ₹20,000 immediate compensation to flood affected people and more than hundred workers of NMDC have been helping administration in restoring the affected areas.
When asked why NMDC has not made official statement on the flood disaster and what steps it is taking to avoid a repeat of same. “Press releases are made by NMDC Hyderabad office only. In a meeting with district administration after the flood, we have discussed to find out a permanent solution for the problem. The district collector has visited the area and now the desilting of the sump is being done”, said the official.
Lessons for NMDC, District Administration
The analysis of media reports and conversation with govt officials and NMDC Management clearly suggest that it was a preventable disaster provided both parties had taken precautionary steps in time.
The NMDC has been blamed for not informing the administration about creation of a check-dam (sump) uphill and carrying no desilting of check-dam (sump) downhill. The NMDC has further maintained a studied silence on the incident making no official statements. It has however unofficially blamed heavy rainfall and encroachment of local drainages for the flood disaster.
These facts need to be ascertained and one hopes the committee set up will look into these aspects too. In any case, if the flood channel was encroached upon and narrowed, NMDC should have asked the administration to take necessary steps to remove the encroachment as any breach of their dam or sump will have bigger impact.
Based on available information so far, it seems the flood damages are mainly a result of mismanagement of iron ore waste structures by the NMDC. The heavy rainfall apparently first breached the uphill check-dam flooding the already silted up structure downhill resulting in overflow of iron ore slurry in massive amounts along with rain run-offs which subsequently has flooded the human habitation in Bengali camp area.
Ironically, though the NMDC has not owned up any responsibility for the flood damages but has distributed a sum of ₹20,000 as immediate compensation to the flood affected people. This seems to indicate acceptance of negligence on the part of NMDC in maintenance of iron ore slurry and structures.
The district administration too seems to have learnt no lesson from similar incident in 2020 and took no mitigatory measures to avoid the reoccurrence of same. Most importantly, even though the mine areas are suspectable for such disasters, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Dantewada has so far formed no rules and regulations for the management of iron ore waste containing structures and such other dams/ sump. The District Administration and the Nagar Palika, Kirandul must also ensure that the drainage systems are not encroached upon and abused by dumping of solid waste.
The heavy rainfall spells are a reality and large share of blame lies with NMDC for not taking adequate safety measures for the management of its iron ore waste containing structures. The concerned citizens and affected people hope that the inquiry report just not become a formality but conducted in impartial manner so that it brings necessary changes in the approach and functioning of NMDC’s and district administration, Dantewada and Nagar Palika Kirandul. Otherwise, another repeat of such man-made flood disaster could be just round the corner.
Bhim Singh Rawat (bhim.sandrp@gmail.com)
References:-
https://www.nmdc.co.in/about-nmdc/operating-mines/bailadila-iron-ore-mine-kirandul-complex
https://www.hindusthansamachar.in/Encyc/2024/7/22/-Followup-Dam-damaged-due-to-NMDC-s.php
SANDRP 