Dumaria (East Singhbhum), Nov. 21: Sitting zilla parishad member Sumitra Hembrom (28) is both embarrassed and distressed when asked why she wasn't contesting the statewide panchayat polls.

Her block, the once-rebel-stronghold Dumaria in Ghatshila subdivision, 80km from Jamshedpur, will vote in the first phase of the four-phase panchayat polls tomorrow. But, Sumitra only says: "I didn't have the heart to contest seeing the poverty of farmers."

Prodded, she said she was frustrated to see some 21 of the 25 check dams in the agrarian block getting washed away and not being able to do anything about it.

"I complained about the issues, from poor construction quality to soil conservation, officials of the district administration. They ordered inspections but nothing happened. I know how badly farmers are suffering. I didn't file my nomination as I didn't have the courage to seek their votes," Sumitra said.

Though it is unlikely that MPs and MLAs would learn a thing or two about accountability from Sumitra, her concern for Dumaria bares one of the poverty struck area's worst kept secrets.

In 2011, the soil conservation directorate, a wing of state agriculture department, started the Birsa Munda Pucca Check Dam project. Dumaria, with 10 panchayats - Kumarsole, Bada Kanjia, Kharida, Dholabeda, Kantasole, Kendua, Khairbani, Astha Kowali, Palasboni and Bankisole - got 25 check dams. At least 21 have got washed away, most unable to bear the onslaught of the second monsoon.

Each check dam with guard walls and pipes connecting them to nearly fields had cost Rs 13 lakh of public money. As the guard walls fell like ninepins, most within a year, the washed-away check dams led to a washout of Dumaria's farming output.

So, Dhananjay Mukhi (55), a farmer of Bhalukpatra village in Kumarsole panchayat, Dumaria, knows he is jobless and won't be able to find one soon. Limping with an untreated wound on his right ankle, he said: "What is a wound, there are bigger problems."

The man who lives with sons Laltu and Jhantu, also jobless, and their wives Jhanu and Kajal, in a rickety hut in Hatiapata tola in Bhalukpatra, also has two grandchildren, Amit and Cheena.

"I dread having to see my children and grandchildren go hungry but we are not getting any farming jobs after our check dam got washed away this year. It's a manmade famine."

His nearly two acres at Hatiapata was well irrigated in 2014 when the check dam was new. "I harvested 20 quintals of paddy. There was no shortage of wheat for my family, I even sold surplus in Mosaboni, 23km away. This year, everything is gone."

Mukhi's friend Bankim Sardar, who along with his two sons Sukhlal and Krishna, is searching for farmhand jobs in vain, is equally worried. " Kaam nahin, kamai nahin (No work, no income)," Bankim said.

Rainfall tapered off quickly this year and without check dams to store water, fields ran dry. "We know we are approaching other farmers in vain," he told this correspondent, who visited two other villages, Seraldih and Punasiba in Kumarisole panchayat, where the story was the same.

But, if barren fields and check dams reduced to rubble were out for the world to see, fixing onus for poor construction was predictably tough.

Dumaria block development officer Mrityunjay Kumar washed his hands off responsibility. "Check dams were constructed independently by district soil conservation department. We did not get any reports on construction," he said.

East Singhbhum district soil conservation officer Amresh Kumar Jha admitted to receiving complaints about faulty check dams in Dumaria block. But, instead of pointing out where things went wrong, he cited staff crunch as the reason for poor check dam quality.

"We have only one field supervisor for the entire Ghatshila subdivision," he said. "After receiving complaints of earlier check dams, we undertook corrective measures during the ones built this year."

But, what about check dams built earlier? "I will conduct an inquiry and repair them at the earliest, but that will happen only after panchayat polls," Jha said.

Calling it a serious issue, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal also promised a probe. "Soon after the first phase of panchayat polls, I will conduct a probe into the irregularities and take to task the district soil conservation department on the issue," Kaushal said.

♦ Bhalukpatra village in Dumaria block votes today