HYDERABAD: Amidst reports of the Srisailam dam being ‘unsafe’ due to a lack of maintenance, State Tourism Minister Srinivas Goud said that expert engineers from Telangana were likley to be sent to Srisailam to check whether there was any damage.
The ‘Waterman of India’ Rajendra Singh, who had visited the site on Wednesday, voiced his concerns about the maintenance of the dam. Setting off a debate regarding the dam’s safety, he said that the experts must not ignore the risks that the dam might pose.
Speaking to Express after inaugurating ferry services at Somasila on Thursday, minister Srinivas Goud said, "Srisailam dam is very important for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The lives of lakhs of people of the two States will be at stake if there is any truth to the reports.”
Stating that engineers from State may be sent to Srisailam to inspect the dam, the minister said, “We have asked the State government to urgently look into the matter as these reports will create fear among the tourists going to Srisailam. The chief minister is coordinating with the neighbouring State regarding the matter. Soon, experts may be sent to Srisalim dam."
Shortly after the report of dam being ‘unsafe’ surfaced, Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar Yadav, in a statement, said that he had spoken to the officials of the Irrigation Department and gotten a report from them on the structural condition of the dam. He also said that all the measures were being taken to ensure the safety of the dam.
Responding to the Yadav’s statement, the ‘Waterman of India’ and Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh said that the experts should not neglect the risk and should take immediate measures to protect the dam. Expressing his concerns about the poor condition of the dam, he said, “I spent the entire day to inspect the condition of the dam along with the executive engineers. In the report given to me by the engineers, it is clearly stated that they needed money from the Andhra Pradesh government to take up the maintenance of the dam.”