Man illegally lifts Prakasam Barrage gates, held

VIJAYAWADA: Workers hired for maintenance works at Prakasam Barrage on Krishna river in Vijayawada on Tuesday afternoon were shocked to see water gushing out of the barrage downstream.

Around 1.10 pm, as the workers were having lunch, they found a half-naked person playing with the switches of the gate regulator apparatus of the gate number 58-59.

The workers got hold of the man before closing down the two gates, which were raised slightly. By the time, water gushed out for around five minutes at the rate of 100 cusecs.

The man, identified as Bangaru Babu (40) from Tummalacheruvu in Guntur district, was handed over to One Town police.

The huts erected by workers in the downstream the barrage would have been washed away if the water discharge continued for a few more minutes.

Officials said the water loss was very negligible, putting the variation in water levels at the barrage at less than a centimetre.

They said as the works were on, irrigation engineers and officials were present at the barrage and there was no question of any lapses on their part.

Echoing this view, water resources minister D Umamaheswara Rao said the police arrested the man and are investigating. Bangaru fled from home after beating up his wife following a quarrel and the woman reportedly suffered injuries.