In response to the recent incident at the Medigadda Barrage, the government led by Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao has invoked Section 144 in the vicinity of the site, located in Jayashankar Bhupalapalli districts.
A team from the Central Water Corporation is set to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the barrage.The gate sustained damage as the barrage’s 20th pillar gave way.Currently, authorities are proactively managing the situation by operating 57 gates, allowing the controlled release of 45,260 cusecs of water, while the inflow stands at 12,240 cusecs towards the barrage.
Officials from the Irrigation Department are diligently probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As the ownership and operation of the barrage currently lie with L&T, it has been established that the company also bears the responsibility for its restoration.
Kaleshwaram Project ENC Nalla Venkateshwarlu reported that the Medigadda barrage has experienced a collapse up to the 20th pillar under the 6th block.
He assured that the authorities promptly responded upon hearing a loud noise near the barrage on Saturday evening.
Venkateshwarlu explained that due to the presence of water within the barrage, a detailed assessment will be conducted once the water level subsides, providing a comprehensive account of the incident.
At the time of the occurrence, approximately 10 TMC of water was stored in the barrage.To mitigate the impact of the incident, gates near the 20th pillar were promptly closed, and water was released downstream from alternate gates, according to ENC Venkateswarlu.
Union Minister Kishan Reddy expressed concern over the Kaleshwaram project’s performance, highlighting the need for transparency in the allocation of TMCs over the past five years.He voiced allegations of impropriety in the project’s execution, asserting that it was crucial to address any irregularities.
The minister affirmed his intention to communicate these concerns to the Central government for further investigation.
