Telangana: Govt presses 4-month pause on Kaleshwaram project row

Hyderabad: With the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) taking up to four months to submit a report on Medigadda, the Telangana Government will observe a four-month holiday to Kaleshwaram.

The government will take a call on the repairs of the Medigadda only after the Safety authority makes its recommendations. The National Dam Safety Authority has formed a five-member committee under the chairmanship of former Chairman of Central Water Corporation J Chandrashekhar Iyer to look into the barrages at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla. The five-member committee consists of UC Vidyarthi, R Patil, Shiva Kumar Sharma and Rahul Kumar Singh as members. NDSA Director (Technical) Amitabh Meena will be the member secretary of this committee.

Alarmed by the sinking of pillars at Medigadda, the Telangana state government wrote a letter to NDSA on February 13 to take up a comprehensive inquiry on Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages. NDSA was urged to examine the designs and structures of the three barrages from all angles under the guidance of experts. In response, the National Dam Safety Authority issued an order on March 2, appointing a committee on these three barrages. The committee was instructed to examine the barrages, analise the causes of subsidence and cracks and recommend alternatives to be taken in the present situation. The committee has been given a deadline to submit its report within four months.

Mainly this committee should visit Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages and inspect the area where the barrages were constructed. Hydraulic, structural and geo technical aspects should be examined. Negotiations should be conducted with the authorities and relevant contracting agencies. All aspects related to barrage designs, method of construction and quality standards should be taken into consideration. Project data, drawings, design, tests already done, investigation reports, barrage investigation reports should be examined. Talk to government officials and relevant agencies and discuss all aspects related to barrages.

A selection of different model studies should be considered for the design of barrages. The reasons for the collapse of Madigadda barrage should be analysed in depth. The causes of dangerous conditions in Annaram and Sundilla on Madigadda should be studied. The committee should suggest measures to be taken to overcome the present situation, alternatives to be followed and precautions to be taken to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. If necessary, with the permission of the Chairman, one more member may be appointed to this committee.