In keeping with a promise made to villagers at Cane Grove, Mahaica on Saturday, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced yesterday that he would name an investigative team to look into the cause of the conservancy dam breach, which resulted in severe flooding in the area.
Members of the team are expected to be named by weekend.
Several residents, including farmers and some members of the area Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), have expressed concerns regarding recent work done on the conservancy dam.
Mings Products and Services Ltd yesterday handed over two 14 ft fibreglass craft with 15 HP engine to the Cane Grove relief effort. The craft were handed over to the GDF yesterday. In photo is one of the boats. (Ken Moore photo)
In an effort to find out exactly what method was employed, Stabroek News sought to contact Managing Director of BK International, Brian Tiwari; his engineers who worked on the dam; and Chief Executive Officer of the Drainage and Irrigation Board (D&I), Ravi Narine. They were all unavailable. The D&I Board was said to have supervised the contract.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Dindial Permaul was also unavailable for comment.
Among the allegations made with regard to the breach was that pegasse soil had being excavated from near the dam and placed on its top, weakening its foundations, when the contract had required the transporting of material from at least half a mile away from the dam.
The removal of a bamboo grove at the rear of the dam and insufficient material being placed at its rear were also cited as likely contributors to the collapse.
President Jagdeo, after touring the waterlogged community of Cane Grove on Saturday, had stated that he would mount an inquiry into the breach.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Water Authority yesterday issued another advisory to residents of Cane Grove to either boil their water or add bleach in the event that the water might have become polluted.
In a release from the agency, it was stated that low voltage in the area had curtailed their efforts to run the Cane Grove pump station for 24 hours, which would have reduced the possibility of water becoming contaminated.
GUYWA has since arranged to have in place a mobile generating set to ensure that the pump station was always working.
GUYWA promised that once the flooded area was completely drained it would flush out and disinfect the pipelines.
The water authority is continuing to supply tenders with treated water in the affected areas for distribution to residents around the clock. Tanks are being placed at strategic points in the affected areas so allow easy collection by residents.
Meanwhile, the army yesterday distributed some 800 food hampers in the area and a medical team has vaccinated 232 residents a Government Information Agency press release said.