Former engineers caution government on cofferdam

Visakhapatnam: Former engineering officials of irrigation department expressed serious concern over the State government’s move to release Godavari waters by constructing cofferdam from Polavaram project.

The engineers alerted the government not to take such a dangerous attempt to release waters from Godavari by completing cofferdam instead of main dam.

Highlights:

• Say it will pose threat to Dowleswaram barrage and other Godavari delta areas, if the government releases water after completion of cofferdam
• The cofferdam will be washed out if floods attack the area

The State government has decided to complete the coffer dam of Polavaram project on war foot basis to release waters to left and right main canals by 2018.

As the Chief Minister was monitoring the projects works on daily basis, former Chief Engineer S Satyanarayana and former Superintending Engineer V Brahmanayya suggested the government to drop such trails and informed that to release the Godavari waters after completion of main dam (rockfill dam).

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, the former engineers explained about the high threat posed to Dowleswarambarrage, Rajahmundry, Kovvuru and other Godavari delta areas, if the government releases waters after completion of cofferdam from the Polavaram project.

Cofferdam was a protection dam to construct the main dam. The coffer dam will be constructed by filling clay at maximum extent.

Floods were quite possible in Godavari and the coffer dam would be washed out, if floods attacks, Satyanarayana said. There were no such dangerous attempts took place in the country so far. Till the construction of main dam completes, it was better to maintain the height of spillway below 17 meters only, he added.

“The cofferdam length is 2,100 mtrs, width is 145 mtrs and the height is 31 mtrs. However, the construction works are not yet started. Over 50 percent of the left canal construction works are not yet finished. Several bridges at highway crossings and aqueducts are yet to be constructed.

Without completing the main dam project works, the government is constructing spill way gates on priority. It is not correct to construct spill way gates,” former Superintending Engineer Brahmanayya said.
However, not considering all these facts, the government has announced the waters from river Godavari would be released by 2018 was highly impossible.

Releasing waters depending on cofferdam was a very dangerous attempt, the former engineers alerted the government.
CPM leader Ch Narasinga Rao Raowas also present.