ADILABAD/NIZAMABAD/SANGAREDDY/NALGONDA: At a recent meeting convened by Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, the Andhra Pradesh government agreed to take up repairs to the plunge pool of Srisailam dam.
In Telangana too, several projects require immediate attention as their operation and maintenance are not being taken up regularly. For example, plastic covers are being used by Irrigation officials to protect the Kumuram Bheem project (Ada project), a medium irrigation project, in Asifabad district, since its sidewall was damaged three years ago.
Lapse at Srisailam
Though officials averred that there is no immediate danger to Srisailam, the delay in taking up the repairs is a cause for worry. A retired hydro-mechanical engineer and gates specialist, Kannaiah Naidu, who visited the Srisailam dam recently, pointed out issues with Gate No 10, which is leaking. Though the leakage is less than 10% and does not pose an immediate threat, he emphasised the need for urgent repairs.
He also noted signs of rust, lack of lubrication and accumulation of silt on the gates. He noted that no paint has been applied to the gates since 2010, a critical maintenance lapse.
In its report in January 2024, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) recommended that the possibility of constructing a downstream dyke or coffer dam be explored to raise the tail water on all the discharges in order to reduce further scour in the plunge pool keeping in view the high flood level fixed for powerhouses.
Maintaining higher tail water level will help in reducing further scouring, the NDSA suggested.
These observations expose the major lapse in operation and maintenance works of major irrigation projects in the state. As carrying out the repairs at Srisailam dam is the responsibility of the Andhra Pradesh government, the officials of Telangana repeatedly took up the matter with the Union government.
The NDSA recommended immediate preparation of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for Srisailam to safeguard the downstream population.
Funds crunch delays works
Not only Srisailam, operation and maintenance issues persist at several irrigation projects. The delay in releasing funds and timely execution of works pose a threat to habitations downstream. Owing to delay in works, the Jurala project witnessed floods, leading to one of the gates suffering major damage.
The regular operation and maintenance works are being delayed due to lack of funds and non-payment of pending bills for the works completed.
With this, the proposed repairs and maintenance works could not be completed at several projects before the commencement of the water year. Several farmers and activists in Nizamabad blame the inability of Irrigation officials in completing the O&M works due to this reason.
Although the repair works are supposed to be completed in summer, they could not be completed at Jurala and Nizamsagar projects. Sources in Nizamabad stated that the contractors had to get Rs 10 crore towards pending bills related to the Nizamsagar Project.
The government is expected to allocate Rs 3.5 crore for land acquisition for the Nagamadugu Lift Irrigation Project on the Manjeera river, among other pending bills within the department. The contractors are now reluctant to participate in any tender process for future works.
Damaged sidewall
In Asifabad district, Irrigation officials have been using plastic sheets to protect the Kumaram Bheem project since its sidewall was damaged three years ago.
As there is an inordinate delay in releasing funds to repair the project, officials are filling only 50 per cent of the project (5.935 tmcft) against its full storage capacity (10.393 tmcft) and releasing water downstream to avoid any danger to the people.
Due to this, the project outflows have exceeded the inflows this rainy season.
In the absence of repairs, the officials are able to provide irrigation water to only 25,000 acres as against the designed ayacut of 45,500 acres.
Kova Vijay Kumar, the Asifabad district president of Adivasi Hakkulla Porata Samithi, alleged that the government neglected the Adivasis and failed to take up repairs to the project for the last three years.
The boating facility at the project too was stopped just a few days after its launch in 2022.
It may be mentioned here that this project was selected for eco-tourism development under a Union government scheme.
Apart from this, the removal of silt in the Kadam project too was delayed. Due to this, the officials were unable to store water in the project. However, the Irrigation officials claimed that the government was releasing funds before the rainy season every year for operation and maintenance works.
Nizamsagar gate not repaired
Similar is the case with the Nizamsagar, a reservoir that was completed in 1937 — Telangana’s pride and a study material for engineering students. The project, which provides irrigation to more than two lakhs acres, is facing operation and maintenance (O&M) issues.
The project’s 11th gate, especially, requires immediate repairs. But the officials were unable to complete the works before the onset of monsoon. However, they dismissed it as “not a significant issue”, stating that they can manage the operations with other gates. The repairs to the 11th gate will be taken up only after water recedes, they added.
The officials also asserted that there were no O&M issues with any of the irrigation projects in the erstwhile Nizamabad district.
According to Nizamsagar Chief Engineer T Srinivas, the project has a total of 48 gates, including flood gates and water regulatory gates. These gates are designed to release up to six lakh cusecs of water. Even during heavy flood seasons, the project has not released more than 1.5 lakh cusecs. Currently, O&M works are in progress with an estimated budget of Rs 38 lakh.
Recently, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy assured the Irrigation department that Rs 100 crore would be released monthly to facilitate the timely clearing of bills and to enable effective O&M works.
The estimated cost for O&M works is Rs 30 lakh for the Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) located at Pochampadu village in Mendora mandal of Nizamabad district.
Official sources said that all the major works have been completed and only some minor works are in progress.
Two years ago, all the major works, including rope works, were completed, and the project is ready to receive water from and release it into the Godavari. The official sources said they don’t have any problem with regard to the operation of 42 gates of SRSP.
Apron washed away
The Manjeera barrage, which caters to the drinking water needs and industrial requirements of Hyderabad, surrounding towns and rural areas, too needs repairs as its apron has been damaged.
Officials said that only a part of the apron was washed away due to the force of water and this issue needs to be addressed. They, however, asserted that there are no problems with any of the gates of the barrage.
Meanwhile, the Sangareddy district administration has sent proposals to the government to take up repairs with an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore.
The government, meanwhile, sanctioned Rs 2.95 crore for taking up a total of 29 renovation works at the Nagarjunasagar Project and allocated Rs 1.3 crore for critical works, including dam structure, gates, lightning arrestors and CC cameras. The remaining amount is set aside for 20 other works, primarily focusing on the maintenance of canals and lifts.
Nagarjunasagar Executive Engineer T Mallikharjuna Rao said that funds will be released by the government upon completion of works and submission of bills. There is no special prior allocation of funds for these works, he said.
Within the Sagar Dam Circle, funds are released to the concerned contractors immediately upon submission of bills for any repair work undertaken, he added.