Strengthening of Krishna river bunds assumes significance

Vijayawada: Strengthening of Krishna river bunds assumed significance due to heavy floods and submerging incidents due to recent rains in Kerala. Indeed, there is no river bund to Krishna river from the Prakasam Barrage to Pulichintala project on Krishna district side. 

While strengthening the flood bank from the Prakasam Barrage to Pulichintala project in Guntur district side has turned into a serious concern due to Amaravati capital city is adjacent to Krishna river.

According to officials, the Prakasam Barrage received the highest flood of 11.03 lakh cusecs 11 years ago but the flood banks of Krishna river did not get breached. The whole capital city location villages on Guntur district side faced a flood threat at that time. 

The flood water reached top level of the flood bank at two locations on Guntur district side. The irrigation officials managed to control the flood by filling up with lakhs of sand bags on the flood banks.  Moreover, the flood banks were designed to face flood water up to 11 lakh cusecs. The flood bank also withstood to the fierce floodwater without any untoward incident.   

On the other hand, the flood water reached the national highway at Mulapadu and Ibrahimpatnam since there is no flood bank to Krishna river. 
Besides, the submerged area is low-lying area. But several river side villages like Damuluru, Kotikalapudi were facing submerge threat since they are plateau  to other villages.

But now the recent incidents are forcing the government to construct a river bund on Krishna district side. The water storage point is proposed at Damuluru village to ensure abundant water supply to Amaravati capital city. 

Now the construction of flood bank is necessary, said Abburi Narasimha Rao, a native of Damuluru village. He also said that several villages in Krishna district are plateau. That’s why the people are living safely though the Krishna receives huge flood several times, he said and added that the flood bank construction only would give protection permanently. 

Former irrigation official D Madhusudana Rao said that there is a proposal to construct river bund on Krishna district side and protection walls on Guntur district side. He said that the two steps would avoid the flood threat from Krishna river.