Geo membrane pack to Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir in Anantapur district

ANANTAPUR: The 27-year old (Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir) PABR , major source of  drought hit Anantapur district needs ‘PVC Geo Membrane Pack’ to arrest water leakage and to store actual full capacity of 11 tmc ft  to provide irrigation facilities to 1 lakh acres  along with drinking water needs to cover till Pulivendula in Kadapa district.

Infact, the major source of Anantapur district and other parts of Rayalaseema had never got full storage capacity and confined to 4.11 TMC ft. The dam can have its full storage only with Geo Membrane solution as the Kadamparai dam in Tamil Nadu was succeeded with experiment five years ago. The irrigation department formally approved plan towards the experiment with an estimated Rs 21.88 crores after inviting tenders through online and a TN based company quoted least for the work. Government needs to clear project to take up long pending works on warfoot basis. The irrigation authorities were waiting for administration approval as proposals sent on June 15.

The PABR dam located in Kudair mandal was completed in 1993 with actual storage capacity of 11 TMC ft under component of Tungabhadra Project High Level Main Canal state-I across Pennar River as target to provide irrigation facilities an extent of 1 lakh acres under PABR right canal and Yadiki Canal Systems. PABR dam is main head for entire district irrigation and drinking water systems such as Mid Pennar Reservoir , Chagallu, Pendekallu and Chitravati Balancing Reservoirs, feeding about 50 minor irrigation tanks along with Anantapur district water supply schemes –Anantapur Municipal Corporation ,Satyasai Water Supply Scheme, Sri Rami Reddy Water Supply Scheme and Uravakonda Water Supply throughout the year.

It was also also intended for production of 40 MW of Hydro Electric Power and stabilisation of 7500 acres under project. In addition, the flood water from Srisailam back water through HNSS main canal would be diverted to store for drinking and irrigation purposes of Anantapur and other parts.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna observed the project had never filled with full capacity during two and half decades. “The governments were neglecting to clear the leakage problem and the project can benefit drought hit parts of Anantapur”, he said.

Irrigation experts said water proofing the upstream face with PVC Geo Membrane from top level,  packing and pointing of worn out areas. A report by the chief engineer of Projects Anantapur has submitted to chief engineer of Central Designs Organisation Vijayawada and  also to Water Sources Department recommending for Geo membrane to PABR in December 2017.

The proposal were prepared after a Special Dam Safety Inspection Team inspecting in   Kadamparai dam in Tamil Nadu.The PVC Membrane is easily filled spliced with solvent welding.The PVC also has very good puncture, abrasive and tear resistance properties and also proven history of use in canal lining for several decades, HLMC superintendent engineer Rajasekhar observed.

Anantapur urban MLA Ananta Venkatrami Reddy said the issue was brought to the notice of chief minister and in-charge minister to sanction the work.