TIRUPATI: An expert team from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) visited the Rayalacheruvu bund in Chittoor district to assess the damage caused by torrential showers, even as the villages downstream wore a deserted look on Monday.
With the India Meteorological Department predicting more rains to lash the area again from November 26, villagers left their residences for safer grounds. Authorities have evacuated 18 villages, and shifted villagers to temporary shelters set up at a private college in C Ramapuram and Padmavathi Nilayam in Tiruchanoor.The evacuation was necessitated after the bund of the 500-year-old massive Rayalacheruvu reservoir developed cracks, and leaked water.
Allaying fears, officials said the leakage was expected. “Water is leaking through a seepage pressure channel, which is a regular occurrence for tanks, and it can be plugged by strengthening the tank bund using sand and gravel bags,” Telugu Ganga project chief engineer Harinath Reddy told TNIE. Experts from IIT and irrigation officials proposed a slew of measures to augment the bund after assessing the situation.
“The bund should be strengthened using 35,000 sandbags as an interim measure, and the release of excess floodwater outflow should be increased to 6,000 cusecs from the present 3,500 cusecs,” the experts recommended.Irrigation officials said the tank has exceeded its full reservoir level capacity of 0.6 TMC and touched 0.9 TMC. The inflow has been 2,500 cusecs. “The excess water is being released through two intake wells,” the officials added.
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, who visited the structure on Monday, said breaches in canal walls and pond in the catchment areas upstream have increased the inflow into the reservoir. “Efforts are on to divert excess flood water from the Rayalcheruvu tank to the Swarnamukhi River, and elaborate measures are being taken to safeguard the tank bund,’’ he added.