Top

Concerns Raised Over Safety Of Komaram Bheem Irrigation Project

Sources revealed that about one and a half months ago, officials from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Dam Safety Authority conducted a safety inspection

ADILABAD: Residents living downstream of the Komaram Bheem irrigation project in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district have raised concerns over the poor safety measures in place, especially in the event of heavy rains and increased inflows into the reservoir. A portion of the bund has reportedly developed cracks, and no major repair work has been carried out so far. Due to the project's location amid the hills, inflows are expected to be high during the monsoon season.

Sources revealed that about one and a half months ago, officials from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Dam Safety Authority conducted a safety inspection. They recommended that the reservoir not store more than 6 TMC ft of water, despite its full capacity being 10.6 TMC, to prevent any risk to the bund and to avoid potential disaster during the rains.

Water released from the reservoir flows into the Peddavagu stream, along which several villages in the Sirpur (T) Assembly Constituency are situated. Locals fear that a sudden discharge of floodwater, without warning, could endanger lives.

This fear is not unfounded. On July 24, 2012, four SSC students from Nazrulnagar village in Kagaznagar mandal drowned while swimming in the Peddavagu near Namanagar. They were swept away when water was suddenly released from the Komaram Bheem Project following heavy inflows due to incessant rains.

At the time of that tragedy, there was no warning system installed at the Komaram Bheem Medium Irrigation Project located at Ada village in Asifabad mandal, even though the project had been officially inaugurated by then chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in November 2011.

Flood threats continue to loom over the project as it began receiving fresh inflows this monsoon. Cracks that developed on the right side of the spillway during the 2022 rains still remain. Shockingly, irrigation officials have only attempted to cover these cracks with tarpaulin sheets rather than undertaking proper repair work.

Villagers downstream remain anxious about the potential discharge of floodwater without prior notice. Officials have, in past years, released water downstream to relieve pressure on the bund during heavy inflows, and a similar approach is expected this year. The department is reportedly maintaining water levels below the maximum to safeguard the structure.

Although the project's full storage capacity is 10.6 TMC ft, officials consistently maintain only up to 5-6 TMC ft to reduce risk. The Komaram Bheem Project was originally designed to irrigate 30,000 acres through the right canal, with an additional 15,000 acres later added. The left canal, intended to irrigate 20,000 acres in Sirpur (T) and Kagaznagar mandals, remains incomplete due to pending forest clearances.

Currently, only about 1,000 acres are benefiting from seepage water, far below the project's potential. The total project cost stands at ₹367 crore.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, executive engineer of the irrigation department in Asifabad, Jadhav Gunawanth Rao, confirmed that a team from the CWC and Dam Safety Authority had visited the project 1.5 months ago. “They advised us to maintain water levels at 6 TMC ft to ensure the safety of the bund and to avoid any unforeseen incidents,” he said.

“At present, the project holds 4.7 TMC ft of water. We have set up a siren warning system, tested the gates, checked the ropes, and greased all machinery,” he added.

Rao also stated that the final safety report from the inspection teams is expected next month and may include further remedial recommendations.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story