KURNOOL/VIJAYAWADA: A high alert has been sounded in Kurnool district after one of the crest gates of the Tungabhadra dam washed away. All villages and towns downstream of Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects have also been alerted.
Taking stock of the situation on Sunday, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu directed Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav to ensure mitigation of flood loss in Kurnool, besides rendering all possible assistance to the Tungabhadra dam authorities. People, especially farmers of Kurnool and Anantapur districts, have been assured that every measure will be taken to mitigate flood loss.
The water from the Tungabhadra dam is being released at the discharge rate of nearly 1 lakh cusecs.
Efforts underway to fix problem at Tungabhadra dam, says Nimmala
The inflows at Sunkesula Barrage and Srisailam Dam are steadily increasing. With inflows from Jurala reducing, the dam authorities have closed most of the gates.
Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu said experts are already on the job to fix the problem at the Tungabhadra Dam, and in the meantime, all the precautionary measures have been taken downstream of the project in Kurnool district, especially in Kowthalam, Kosigi, Mantralayalm, C Belagal and Nandavaram mandals. Revenue, police and irrigation officials have rushed to the mandals downstream to monitor the situation, and people are being alerted using different media, including tom-tom. Kurnool District Collector Ranjit Basha and SP G Bindu Madhav are closely monitoring the situation.
People have been advised not to venture into the river even for fishing as the flood level is increasing steadily. Meanwhile, SDRF teams have been readied, and even NDRF has been put on alert. Swimmers, life jackets, putties and other rescue material have been readied. Revenue and police officials have been fully geared up to evacuate people living adjacent to the river if necessary.
However, the situation is under control, and the flood water level is being regulated. “There is no need to panic,” the Collector said.