HYDERABAD: The state government on Friday appointed a coordination committee to oversee the expeditious investigation and design works for the rehabilitation of three barrages — Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla — of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).
The committee will take all necessary steps, with the approval of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), for the expeditious execution of investigation and rehabilitation works. It will coordinate between field officials, agencies and design consultants on a priority basis and expedite the conduct of geophysical and geotechnical investigations proposed by the NDSA to assess the health of the three barrages.
It will prepare a day-wise action plan for completing the investigations by May 30. The committee will also ensure that machinery and manpower are provided as per the plan and that the investigations are completed by the deadline, according to the orders issued on Friday.
The committee will submit daily progress reports by 5 pm to the irrigation secretary and the irrigation minister. It will also submit detailed reports every Monday and Thursday to the government until the completion of the geophysical and geotechnical investigations.
Colonel Parikshit Mehra, secretary (Tunnels and Safety), Irrigation department, will be the chairman of the coordination committee. Members include K Srinivas, joint secretary (Technical); MSN Reddy, chief engineer (CDO); Selva Balan, additional director (CWPRS); Sai Krishna, managing director, M/s AFRY India Ltd; S Suresh Kumar, general manager, L&T; Mallikarjun Rao, vice-president, Afcons; and Madhav, project manager, Navayuga. T Srinivasa Rao Gupta, chief engineer, Ramagundam, will be the member-convener.
Uttam meets NDSA chairman
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy discussed with NDSA Chairman Anil Jain the action plan to repair the three barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme in New Delhi on Friday.
During the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that the government was taking all steps to ensure that defects would not recur in the barrage designs. Anil Jain said he would visit the three barrages shortly.
The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) will prepare designs after studying the barrages. Ground-penetrating radar, drone surveys, boreholes, and geotechnical and geophysical tests will be undertaken to assess their strength.
The foundations of the barrages, the condition of cut-off walls, and other structural aspects will be comprehensively evaluated. Based on the findings, the required designs will be prepared to strengthen the barrages and submitted to the NDSA for approval.
All tests will be completed before the onset of the monsoon. The barrages will be restored to ensure they can withstand another 50 to 100 years, Uttam Kumar Reddy said.