Bareilly: An overhead water tank, recently constructed under the

Jal Jeevan Mission

for Rs 3.5 crore, filled for the first time and still under testing, burst in Sheikhpura village in Isanagar block of Lakhimpur Kheri on Saturday afternoon, scattering debris and flooding the surrounding areas. The incident came even as UP CM Yogi Adityanath addressed an audience on the state's "zero tolerance for corruption" policy in the same district.
At the time of the incident, five workers — Raju Mishra, Mohan Kumar, Ankit Kumar, Lavkush, and Peru — had left the site to have their meal in a nearby orchard. Their absence spared them from the deluge that followed. In June 2024, an overhead tank constructed for Rs 6 crore collapsed in Mathura, killing two people.
The tank, built to supply water to over 4,100 households, had only just been handed over to the village council when its structure gave way. Executive engineer Yogendra Kumar Neeraj, speaking to TOI, explained that it was not the entire tank that failed but rather the liner in its upper portion, fashioned from zinc and aluminium, which had ruptured. "The tank was recently handed over and was in the testing phase," he said. "We will carry out our probe to identify the probable causes behind the incident."
Residents said they watched as the tank tore open "like a balloon", sending water and metal flying across the complex. Several solar panels installed nearby were damaged by the torrent. "Fortunately, there were no villagers nearby; otherwise, it could have been a major accident," said a local, who attributed the incident to poor construction standards and alleged use of substandard materials.

Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, linked the construction to the executing agency BTL, which worked under the supervision of Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam Rural junior engineer Mahendra Kumar. The tank, a steel structure with a capacity of 250KL, was reportedly filled beyond the limit when it failed.
The state's administration moved quickly to contain the fallout, with a senior official confirming that a governance-level team will investigate the rupture. "If any irregularities are found in its construction, strict action will be taken against those responsible," he said.