Maharashtra: Villagers claim Masalga dam has developed cracks but officials say no danger of breach

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Amid claims by villagers that an embankment of the Masalga dam in Nilanga tehsil of Latur has developed a crack, the authorities in Maharashtra on Monday said all fears of a breach were unfounded and asked people not to believe in "false information".

Recently, some villagers had uploaded photographs of a wide crack on the embankment of the dam in Maharashtra on social media, with several netizens claiming the storage capacity was 100 per cent, which could lead to a breach that may inundate nearby areas.

In a release issued during the day, Masalga project executive engineer Amarsinha Patil said a technical inspection is underway and that there was no danger to the structure.

As a precautionary measure, six gates were opened by 10 centimetres for water discharge to reduce the storage level on Friday, the official said.

"The water being released is nominal. There is no danger to nearby villages, residents of which have been given precautionary warning. The dam has a total storage capacity of 14.676 TMC with an irrigation area of 1,664 hectares. People must not believe false information," the release said.

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