Annram Sand Removal Safe, Irrigation Department Dismisses KTR Allegations

Hyderabad: In a big blow to BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and his claims that sand mining was being allowed at the Annaram barrage and that this would push the barrage into danger, the irrigation department dismissed his allegations as baseless and contrary to facts.

There is absolutely no truth to the BRS leader’s claims and every action at the barrage was being conducted in a scientific manner to enable the required geophysical and other tests at the barrage, the irrigation department has said.

In a news release, the irrigation department’s Mahadevpur Division II executive engineer, Ramesh Babu, said the allegations about sand mining were completely wrong as sand was being removed only to provide access to engineers and scientists to the concrete portions of the barrage that were under the sand so tests can be performed.

He said the removal of sand was as per official recommendations to facilitate tests by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) Pune, and that sand removal was being supervised by irrigation, State Mineral Development Corporation officials and the barrage construction contractor staff.

He made it clear that there was no questions of sand being removed below a depth of 106 metres on the upstream side and 103.5 metres on the downstream side – the levels required for the protection of the foundations. Since both upstream and downstream sides of the barrage and the apron areas were covered with sand, it had to be removed to facilitate geophysical and geotechnical tests by CWPRS staff, the official said.