ADILABAD: Poor upkeep of the Kadem irrigation project, highlighted in two instances during the recent rains, is now causing concern among farmers in the paddy farming hub located between Kadem in Nirmal district and Luxettipet of
Mancherial district as downstream water flow continues unabated due to
malfunctioning sluice gates.
As heavy rains continuously lashed Telangana over the past fortnight, there
was a threat to the structure of the Kadem dam as it could not handle the
heavy water inflow. There was a water inflow of five lakh cusecs against an
outflow of two lakh cusecs, due to which 17 of 18 sluice gates were opened,
flooding nearby areas. One dysfunctional sluice gate, not repaired for
around three years, also failed to open.
The rains eventually receded and the threat to the dam’s existence
diminished, but the damage caused due to heavy inflows has left more sluice
gates dysfunctional as authorities are unable to shut the gates amid the
project reaching dead storage level.
A dead storage level implies that the project is unable to discharge water
downstream naturally.
Paddy farmers said they will be hit hard since the dead storage level has
been reached, with water continuously flowing down.
A high-level technical team of the irrigation department’s ENC wing from
Hyderabad said that the sluice gates cannot be operated at present as motors
drenched in floodwater might get burned.
Engineers said that floodwater flowing into the project is being discharged
downstream.
The government deployed the ENC team to inspect the project, following a
breach at Mysamma temple, estimate damages to the project and submit a
report on modernising the project to deal with such eventualities in the
future.
Karunakar, a member of the technical team, said they will replace two
counterweight gates that got detached due to water pressure and washed away
downstream from the front portion of the project. Further, he said the team
is undertaking review works and will submit a report on the damages, as well
as steps for modernising the project.
