Surajpur, Chhattisgarh: A dam built nearly four decades ago to provide irrigation water to farmers in Baijnathpur village has now turned into a dry playground due to years of neglect. The Kanhaiya Dam, constructed between 1977 and 1980, was intended to support agriculture and address drinking water needs in the region, but villagers say it has never fulfilled its purpose.
Local residents claim that not even a single drop of water has been stored in the dam for many years. As a result, the dried-up reservoir area has become a makeshift playground where children from nearby villages gather to play.
Villagers say they have repeatedly approached the district administration and the Surajpur Collector, demanding repairs and proper water management for the dam, but their complaints have largely gone unheard.
“We have been raising this issue for years. If the authorities continue to ignore us, we will be forced to launch a protest,” villagers warned.
Dam Built for Irrigation, Now Symbol of Neglect
According to residents of Baijnathpur in the Bhaiyathan block, the Kanhaiya Dam was constructed across about 55 hectares of land at a cost of roughly ₹800,000 to ₹1 million (around $10,000–$12,000 at the time). The project aimed to irrigate thousands of acres of farmland, create employment opportunities, and solve drinking water shortages in the area.
However, lack of maintenance and administrative oversight gradually turned the project into what locals describe as a “symbol of government negligence.”
Repair Work Also Questioned
After years of protests by villagers, authorities sanctioned ₹2.22 crore (about $270,000) for renovation work on the dam. But locals allege that the repair work was poorly executed and failed to restore the dam’s water storage capacity.
With summer already beginning, farmers say water scarcity for irrigation and daily use could worsen in the coming months if immediate action is not taken.
Residents are now urging the district administration and the state’s Water Resources Department to take urgent steps to restore the dam and ensure proper water storage, warning that continued inaction could trigger a larger public agitation.