KLIS Barrages - Irrigation Officials Get an Earful From NDSA
NDSA chairman Anil Jain questions delays and testing methods in repair plans for Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages during a review meeting.
HYDERABAD: National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) chairman Anil Jain gave irrigation department officials an earful over the handling of repairs at the stricken barrage at Medigadda, and the problem-plagued ones at Annaram and Sundilla of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS), at a review meeting here on Friday.
It is learnt that the officials were quizzed about the delays in even starting on drawings for repair and rehabilitation works for the three barrages, particularly the one at Medigadda.
Irrigation officials, including those from the Central Designs Organisation (CDO) of the department, sought to clarify that the delays in preparing the designs were on account of delays by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, in completing the required tests but this is learnt to have triggered a slew of questions on why a large number of boreholes was being drilled at the barrages.
NDSA chairman Jain is learnt to have questioned the need for multiple drillings in each of the bays of the barrages to test the concrete strength, while such drilling would be sufficient in the broken Block 7 of Medigadda and the blocks under which leaks sprang from at Annaram and Sundilla.
When officials tried to explain that they were doing those tests so as to design a scale model, Jain is learnt to have questioned the need to reinvent the wheel when a model already exists at IIT Rourkee. When Jain asked why neither AFRY India, appointed as the design consultant, CWPRS, or the CDO officials had approached IIT Rourkee where a 2-D model of the barrage existed if they wanted to do a model study, it was agreed upon that a team will visit Rourkee to do some fresh model tests.
Making it clear that the NDSA gave its report, and suggestions a year ago, Jain is learnt to have told the meeting that the agency had provided suggestions on required tests and associated work. It was for the CDO – which he apparently pointed out again had prepared faulty designs in the first place – and the design consultant to ensure that designs were drawn up taking into account the worst possible conditions.
Sources said one of the officials informed Jain that they were trying for prioritise investigations so that designs could be taken up, and that work might be able to be taken up in a phased manner. Sources said that Jain agreed to meet with irrigation, CWPRS and AFRY officials and representatives in Delhi and asked them to come up with a more concrete plan of action in three to four weeks.
