Former Union secretary urges immediate action on Srisailam dam

EAS Sarma issues a second open letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister questioning why no remedial measures have been taken so far; highlights that the dam has been deteriorating since the unprecedented floods of 2012

Hyderabad: Concerned about the safety of the Srisailam dam, retired IAS officer and former principal adviser in the National Planning Commission EAS Sarma once again raised alarm regarding the lack of timely repairs to the project. Sarma, who had previously written to the government on March 7, has now issued a second open letter to AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu questioning why no remedial measures had been taken so far.

In his letter, Sarma highlighted that the dam has been deteriorating since the unprecedented floods of 2012. He criticised the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government for neglecting the structural risks associated with the dam in 2014 and expressed disappointment that even after repeated warnings from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), no action has been initiated.

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Sarma pointed out that erosion near the foundation of the dam has intensified, raising concerns about its stability. According to a recent NDSA report, temporary repairs must be carried out urgently before the 2025 monsoon season to prevent a potential disaster. Despite these warnings, the government has not taken any steps so far, leading to growing concerns among experts.

The NDSA has also recommended long-term measures, including a detailed geological study of the foundation and necessary corrective actions to ensure the dam’s safety. Sarma emphasized that if these warnings continue to be ignored, a failure at Srisailam Dam could trigger catastrophic flooding in downstream areas such as Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Guntur, Nalgonda, and Krishna districts. Hundreds of villages could face submersion, and even urban centers like Vijayawada and Amaravati could experience severe damage.

Urging immediate action, Sharma called upon both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to prioritize dam safety and implement repairs as recommended by the NDSA.