ACCORDING to district authorities the newly constructed dams in Dakshina Kannada are structurally sound and pose no safety risks at present.
“We undertake regular maintenance works ahead of the monsoon. Thumbe vented dam, being a newly built structure, has so far not exhibited any signs of cracks or damage. We have written to a Bengaluru-based government-affiliated firm to conduct a safety inspection of the dam,” said an executive engineer from Mangaluru City Corporation. The official said a retaining wall has been constructed across the dam, and stop-log gates installed as a contingency in the event of any failure in the main gates.
Similarly, the AMR Dam, under the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), with a storage capacity of 12.5 million cubic metres at 18.9 metres, has been declared structurally safe by the authorities.
The Harekala dam, which falls under the jurisdiction of the irrigation department and was built only a few years ago, also poses no safety concerns, according to officials.
Other key structures such as the Jakribettu bridge-cum-barrage in Bantwal and Saralikatte dam downstream of Uppinangady, across the Nethravati, are maintained on a quarterly basis to ensure structural integrity.
“There are 471 major and minor vented dams across Dakshina Kannada. We have received no reports of damage to any of these dams due to sand mining,” said an executive engineer of the district irrigation department.
Mani dam in good condition
Mani dam, built across the Varahi in 1989 and maintained by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), remains in good condition with maintenance systems and adequate budgetary support, according to a KPCL official.