A similar problem occurred in the first week of July, when irrigation engineering expert and government adviser N. Kannayya Naidu inspected the project and cautioned that the Srisailam dam gates required urgent repairs to ensure the long-term safety of the structure.
Kurnool: Gates 3 and 10 of the Srisailam dam have started leaking again, raising doubts over the quality of maintenance work. All the dam gates were closed on Wednesday as inflows reduced, but the officials reopened three gates on Thursday to release water. Soon after, leakage was noticed from gates 3 and 10, repeating an issue observed earlier.
A similar problem occurred in the first week of July, when irrigation engineering expert and government adviser N. Kannayya Naidu inspected the project and cautioned that the Srisailam dam gates required urgent repairs to ensure the long-term safety of the structure. He recommended immediate minor repairs and painting of the crest gates to strengthen the system.
Following his earlier warning, officials replaced the rubber seals and carried out basic repair works on the gates. Kannayya Naidu had also stated at that time that there was no danger, as the leakage accounted for only about 10 per cent. However, the recurrence of leakage within a couple of months has created suspicion over the maintenance measures undertaken by the project staff.
Locals point out that such incidents are frequent whenever the reservoir receives heavy inflows and complain that strict corrective measures are rarely enforced. They say that recurring leaks are a sign of poor upkeep despite repeated advisories from experts.
Sources indicate that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had previously discussed the need for regular maintenance of the crest gates, but the follow-up actions remain unclear.
A senior irrigation department official clarified that the recent leakage might be due to the dislocation of the newly arranged rubber seals caused by the heavy floods. He added that there is no threat to the overall safety of the project even if the rubber seals are displaced, though repairs will be necessary to prevent further seepage.
