The Solai Dam tragedy that killed 47 people could have been averted had owners reinforced an embankment where cracks had opened, a report says.
The preliminary report by a multi-agency team ordered by the Interior ministry said heavy rains only worsened the situation before the tragedy happened.
“There was clear evidence the earth wall of the dam had started failing much earlier yet no attempt was made to rectify the situation,”the report says.
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It says the dam’s location largely contributed to the deaths, because it had blocked the original courses of rivers.
Residents have demanded its relocation.
“Even with proper design and maintenance, its new location is a prerequisite because such natural calamities are likely to occur in future,” the reports says.
The report released on Friday wants the Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) and the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation (NWCPC) to investigate whether the dam was regularly constructed.
The former legalises construction of dams while the latter is mandated with ensuring construction meets standards.
The report wants the agencies to conduct field tests on materials used in construction to determine their suitability. The investigations are to be done on six other dams located on Patel Farm.
“The two agencies should investigate the cause of failure of the dam besides establishing whether its construction was legal,” the report reads.
Residents said the dam was built during the colonial era.
“It’s height was however increased in the recent past by about six metres,” says the report. The multi-agency team consisted of mainly engineers.
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