Target to complete repairs by next monsoon: Reports
HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday announced that a time-bound roadmap for rehabilitation of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) barrages has been readied and finer engineering details and their technical assessments were being looked into. Work was expected to begin by the year-end and be completed by June next.
Addressing a press conference, he also accused BRS leaders of “desperately” trying to spread lies by claiming that the pumping of water from the barrages was not being done deliberately. He said that given the directions from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) regarding the three barrages – the stricken Medigadda, and the ones at Sundilla and Annaram which require repairs – the question of pumping water did not arise.
Despite this being the case, the Congress government had ensured maximum use of Godavari water in the last two years for irrigation, the minister said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that by abandoning the original Pranahita-Chevella irrigation project and redesigning it around Medigadda as part of KLIS, the previous BRS regime committed a historic blunder. Telangana, he said, would have been far better equipped to withstand the prevailing El Nino-induced drought conditions had the original Pranahita-Chevella project been completed without modifications.
Col. Parikshit Mehra, tunnel expert, who is leading the repair and rehabilitation efforts, during his presentation, explained the causes that led to the serious failure at Medigadda, as well as at the Sundilla and Annaram barrages. Various engineering options were being looked at for the Medigadda barrage’s repairs, and method statements were being prepared for all the required works at the three barrages.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that a broad timeline for taking the rehabilitation programme forward has been finalised and concept designs were completed by the end of September, while estimates and government approvals are targeted for October-end. The technical oversight committee, constituted by the Union jal shakti ministry, reviewed the rehabilitation strategy and approved the concept, he said.
The agencies were expected to begin mobilising by the end of November, and works were scheduled to commence on all fronts by the end of December. The overall target was to complete rehabilitation before the next monsoon in 2027, subject to technical clearances and implementation progress, he said.
A coordination committee comprising technical experts and senior officials from the irrigation department, the Central Designs Organisation and the State Dam Safety Organisation has been constituted to coordinate the rehabilitation programme in line with NDSA recommendations, Uttam Kumar Reddy added.
