Any Pumping at KLIS Barrages Only After Repairs: Uttam

Hyderabad:Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday stoutly defended the state government's decision that operations at the Kaleshwaram barrages will begin only after their total rehabilitation. He said the Congress Government had already taken up work on the Medigadda rehabilitation design and would now move ahead with the Tummidihatti project, which he described as a technically superior, economically viable and energy-efficient alternative.

Uttam Kumar Reddy was speaking during a detailed presentation on the status of the Medigadda barrage, and the rest of the key components of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) at Praja Bhavan. The presentation was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, ministers, MP's, MLAs, MLCs, among others.

He said the demand by BRS leaders that water be pumped upstream in Godavari from Medigadda using the Kannepalli pumphouse is irrational and cannot be done, as according to all the technical findings since the sinking of a part of Medigadda barrage, it was found that Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages have the same designs and suffer from the same flaws.

Water cannot be stored at Annaram and Sundilla, just as it cannot be stored at Medigadda as the gates of the barrages have to be kept open as per NDSA recommendations to save the structures from further damages. The government, he said, is committed to rehabilitating the barrages and putting them to use from the monsoon season next year.