NDSA team to visit barrages of Kaleshwaram project on March 6

Hyderabad, March 4 (IANS) The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has formed a six-member committee to inspect and study the design and construction of Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), on the request of the Telangana government.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Sunday that the expert committee is scheduled to arrive on March 6 for a thorough examination of the Kaleshwaram project, and assured full cooperation from the state government to the team for its investigation.

He emphasised that the government would prioritise the recommendations of the NDSA.

The minister said that the committee, led by J. Chandrashekar Iyer, former Chairman of the Central Water Commission, would investigate the reasons behind the sinking of Medigadda barrage pillars and observe distress in the two upstream barrages, Annaram and Sundilla.

The committee, which has been given a deadline of four months to submit its report to the NDSA, includes U.C. Vidyarthi, a scientist from the Central Soil and Materials Research Station, Pune; R. Patil, a scientist from the Central Water and Power Research Station; Shiv Kumar Sharma from the CWC; Rahul Kumar Singh; and Amitabh Meena, both Directors of NDSA, as official members.

The minister said that the committee was formed following a request for a comprehensive investigation into the sinking of Medigadda barrage piers and potential damage to the Annaram and Sundilla barrages.

A NDSA team, which had inspected Medigadda barrage in October last year, recommended the immediate emptying of water. Following inspections of the Sundilla and Annaram barrages, it had identified similar issues and directed that they be emptied. Based on the NDSA directions, the state government promptly released the water.

However, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the BRS leaders were trying to politicise the issue by demanding the filling up of those barrages. He said that BRS leaders lacked technical knowledge and criticised the previous BRS government for its careless execution of the Kaleshwaram project, neglecting quality, maintenance, construction, and designs, and breaking all rules.

Noting Medigadda barrage was like the heart of the Kaleshwaram project, which was built for Rs 94,000 crore, he expressed disappointment that BRS leaders were trying to play down the incident by stating that only one pillar had collapsed and accused the party of risking the state and farmers' interests for political gains.