Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant has been making rounds on the Internet because he attributed the breach in Tiware dam in Ratnagiri district to the weakening of wall by crabs. The incident claimed the lives of eighteen people. He termed the dam breach incident as a ‘natural calamity’ and also stated that whatever is destined to happen, will happen. Tanaji Sawant is the newly-appointed water conservation minister.
Sawant said while talking to reporters that officials and locals had told him that a large number of crabs had weakened the wall of the Tiware dam. He said, ‘The wall was weakened by a large number crabs, and after it was pointed out to the government officials, some remedial measures were taken up. The SIT appointed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will come up with its findings soon, and we will come to know what exactly went wrong.’
The Tiware dam is located in Chiplun tehsil and breached late on 2nd July after torrential rains in the coastal Konkan region. The minister has also hinted that the incident could be the result of the fallout of torrential rains that happened in the Tiware dam’s catchment area. He said, ‘In just eight hours, 192 mm rainfall was recorded in the catchment area of the Tiware dam. As per my information, the water level of the dam increased by eight meters in eight hours. The villagers wonder whether it was due to a cloudburst.’ However, he has added that it will be discussed in the committee.
He further added, ‘It was a tragedy, but I think you cannot change your fate. Whatever is going to happen, will happen. It was a kind of natural calamity.’ He was asked if the repair works of the dam were of inferior quality. He responded by saying, ‘We realized it only when water started accumulating in the dam.’
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