KARIMNAGAR: A minor canal of the Sriramsagar Project (SRSP), officially known as the D4 canal, breached near Mannempally village in Thimmapur mandal. A day after the incident, residents of the SC colony and other impacted areas, who lived through a nightmare on Sunday night, were seen cleaning their homes and utensils as the floodwater receded on Monday.
When TNIE visited the breach site on Monday, villagers expressed their fear of recurring breaches. They recounted the terrifying ordeal, with Parnandi Sumalatha, a resident, stating that all her utensils were swept away by the floodwaters.
Authorities temporarily addressed the breach by arresting the water flow at the damaged bund, placing sandbags and filling it with gravel to prevent further breaches.
‘Permanent repair estimates being prepared’
According to P Ramesh, Superintending Engineer (SE) of the Irrigation department (Circle 2), permanent repair estimates are being prepared. To prevent similar incidents during the release of water for the Rabi crop, irrigation authorities plan to request police patrolling along the canal.
The water release from the Thotapally reservoir was halted. Villagers, however, remain on edge. S Laxminarayana Goud said this is the fourth breach of the canal and urged the government to strengthen the bunds, which, he said, fail every season.
Amid the crisis, the villagers praised Ravula Krishna, a local, for jumping into the canal to remove weeds that were blocking water flow at sluice points. Villagers alleged that farmers from other villages had blocked sluice points in two or three locations with grass and debris, diverting water for their fields and causing the breach.
Residents of the SC colony have appealed to the government for immediate relief, including the distribution of rice and essential cooking supplies.