HYDERABAD:The state government has constituted an expert committee to study the feasibility of increasing the spillway capacity of the Srisailam dam.
Though, as per the AP Reorganisation Act, the operation and maintenance of the dam is vested with the AP government, the TS government is going ahead with its feasibility study.
Increasing the spillway capacity is needed to manage unexpected floods effectively. Huge floods in 2003 posed a grave threat to the safety of the dam. At the time, the sudden inflows crossed 27 lakh cusecs while the maximum discharge capacity of the dam was only 13 lakh cusecs.
In fact, the proposal to increase the spillway capacity is not new and dates back to the days of the united AP government.
There was also a proposal to open the first gate of the dam during floods. The first gate is never opened as it submerges the thermal power plant on right side of the dam. If the first gate is opened, the discharge of flood waters would be easier.
In view of past experience, the State government on Saturday constituted the expert committee with engineer-in-chief (Irrigation) as its chairman and chief engineer (CDO), Bhopal Singh, director (hydrology) (S) directorate, CWC, New Delhi, SK Sibal, director, concrete masonry & dam design (NW&S) directorate, CWC, New Delhi, BRK Pillai, director, foundation engineering & special analysis (FE&SA) directorate, CWC, New Delhi, KV Subbarao, retired chief engineer (technical expert), superintending engineer, hydrology circle and superintending engineer, dam safety, central designs organisation, Hyderabad as members.
Chief engineer, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy Sagar Srisailam Project (NSRSSP) will be the member-convenor of the committee.
Chief engineer, NSP (NSRSSP) will coordinate the committee meetings, inspections and will also co-opt other experts as per the requirement. The chief engineer, Central Designs Organization, Hyderabad will take further necessary action in the matter.