Hyderabad: Monsoon season is approaching, and there are concerns about the damaged Medigadda barrage and two other barrages, Sundilla and Annaram, under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has recommended repairs to the damaged barrage before the monsoon begins. However, the government is waiting for the final report from NDSA in June before starting the repair works.
Officials are prepared to begin emergency repairs and have instructed contract agencies to start work at the barrage sites. The Cabinet will discuss whether to proceed with temporary repairs or wait for the final report.
L&T agency, which built the Medigadda barrage, has refused to undertake repair works on the damaged piers, stating that their responsibility ends once they hand over the barrage to the government.
The interim report suggests actions like crack monitoring, bracing piers, and rectifying or replacing defective pressure release valves before the monsoon. It also recommends measures for radial gates and other structures at the barrages.
The Cabinet meeting will address these issues and make a decision in consultation with irrigation experts. Beginning repairs before the monsoon could help store water for agriculture during the upcoming Kharif season.
