Panel to look into safety norms at all reservoirs in AP

Vijayawada: A five-member expert panel would study the adaptability of fixing the hydraulic system to operate the existing radial crest gates of Pulichintala dam across River Krishna and ascertain the safety of all reservoirs in the state.

After the washing away of a radial crest gate at Pulichintala dam recently, Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy had asked officials to explore the feasibility for setting up a hydraulic facility on the gates to the dam. These are considered safe and would avoid any recurrence of such mishaps.

The water resources authorities constituted a five-member experts panel comprising serving and retired engineers to inquire into the reasons for the washing away of radial crest gate 16 at the dam, and suggest steps to ensure more safety to the dam.

The same committee has also been entrusted with the task of inspection of all important reservoirs in the state and checking whether the dams faced any issue of deficiency vis-à-vis normal operations and day-to-day maintenance with stress on safety.

AP water resources engineer-in-chief Narayana Reddy said, “The expert panel will examine all important reservoirs in the state and submit a report. The idea is to ensure safety at all reservoirs and dams. At Pulichintala dam, the panel will study the suitability of fixing hydraulic systems for operation of gates. Based on its report, including on the estimated cost, the government will take a decision.”

As AP is having several major and medium reservoirs with dams, the authorities take up regular maintenance works with budgetary allotment of funds for this purpose before onset of monsoon every year. For old projects like the Sir Arthur Cotton barrage across Godavari river at Dowleswaram, the engineers have to apply oil and grease for the mechanical parts to ensure proper functioning of the vertical gates.

In case of the spillway for the Polavaram project, the engineers fixed the radial gates with hydraulic facility to operate them, with more safety provisions.

Sources from the water resources department say that a lack of regular staff for maintenance of reservoirs is one reason for poor maintenance and reservoirs becoming vulnerable to mishaps. For old projects, there used to be regular maintenance staff. In course of time, no fresh recruitment was done to fill up the vacancies. This has resulted in more dependence on outsourced technicians, who lacked formal training, work experience and exposure.

On the other hand, the authorities are confident to fill the Pulichintala balancing reservoir to its full capacity after erection of a ‘stop lock gate’, as all upstream projects are having water stored nearly to their brim.

Pulichintala superintending engineer Ramesh Babu said, “The project is having nearly 13 lakh acres of ayacut spread over parts of West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam. We are confident of filling up the reservoir once again this season and supplying water for cultivation of crops. We are able to fix the stop lock gate at the dam in a record 48 hours to resume the impounding of water in the reservoir instead of wasting them by way of their flow to the sea.”