CHENNAI: A new shutter will be installed on the Parambikulam dam in place of the one that was damaged and washed away four days ago. The new shutter will cost Rs 7 crore.The government has also constituted a special team to inspect all the 90 dams managed by TN to prevent such incidents. The task should be completed by October end.
A senior officer of Water Resources Department (WRD) told TNIE that they submitted a proposal to the State government seeking funds for the new shutter. Short-term tenders would be floated for other repairs on the dam.The old shutter was 42 feet wide and 27 feet high. Raw materials for the new shutter could be purchased from the Salem steel plant or those in north India.
“A preliminary report has been sent to the National Dam Safety Authority and the Central Water Commission. The detailed report would be submitted within a fortnight,” the official said.Another WRD officer said teams from the dam safety directorate carried out periodical inspections at the 90 dams maintained by the State government. In the last three months, they visited Parambikulam dam thrice and checked its chain link, counterweight, and other mechanisms.
According to official sources, fund allocation by State and Central governments for dam repair has been poor. For example, repair and reinforcement of 37 dams, including Mettur, Bhavanisagar, and Krishnagiri, at Rs 610.26 crore was scheduled under Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement-2 (DRIP-2) scheme in 2020. Most of this work is yet to be completed due to lack of funds.