Telangana’s largest reservoir, Mallanna Sagar not safe

Hyderabad: The largest reservoir of Komuravelli Mallanna Sagar with 50 TMC capacity in Telangana was not safe. The CAG report revealed that the reservoir, which was constructed as part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, was a deep seated vertical fault in the proposed location. The report mentioned the NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) seismic studies at the reservoir.

The report said that the possibility of damage to the reservoir was not ruled out due to the location of the construction in the seismic zone. However, the previous government went ahead and constructed the reservoir with a total expenditure of Rs 6,126.809 crore after conducting in-depth seismic studies.

The report also disclosed that seven reservoirs under Kaleshwaram were causing submergence and involved Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R and R) of the project-displaced families. However, R and R activities in respect of only three reservoirs were completed, and in the remaining four reservoirs, the department had yet to identify the project-displaced families fully, and R and R had yet to be taken up.

Referring to the status of the Pranahita project, the report said that there has been no progress in the four works retained under the project after re-engineering in the last four years.

More than six years have passed since the decision to re-engineer the project was made in order to determine the location of the barrage, the new command area that was to be targeted, the extent of the work, and to prepare and submit the DPR to the Central Water Commission (CWC). The then government did not obtain all the statutory clearances, including the CWC and the concurrence of Maharashtra, for the project.

No command area has been developed under the project, and it may take many more years for the construction of the project and to derive any irrigation benefits from it. The expenditure of Rs 878 crore already incurred on the project work remained unproductive.