Fortnight after submergence, Vattem pump-house of Palamuru project still under water

The pump house, located in Bijinapally mandal, saw four of its mega pumping units submerged due to runoff from nearby chain tanks.

Hyderabad: The Vattem pump-house of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) remains submerged more than a fortnight after floodwaters inundated the facility.

The pump house, located in Bijinapally mandal, saw four of its mega pumping units submerged due to runoff from nearby chain tanks.

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The flooding incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and functionality of the PRLIS infrastructure.

The underground pump house, which is 25 metres deep, experienced flooding through an adit-tunnel, a horizontal passage typically used for ventilation and drainage.

The exact cause of the floodwater’s entry through the adit-tunnel is still under investigation. Officials have stated that it is impossible to assess the full extent of the damage without dewatering the pump house completely.

Large motors have been deployed to drain the water, a process expected to take about two weeks. However, continuous seepage has hampered efforts, necessitating round-the-clock operations.

Advisor to the Government on Lift Irrigation Projects, K Penta Reddy mentioned that larger capacity pumps have been recommended, but space constraints in the underground pump house pose a significant challenge.

The seepage issue has resulted in the water being refilled almost as quickly as it is drained, complicating the dewatering process. The floodwaters, originating from the Sripuram, Nagarkurnool, and Naganulu irrigation tanks, have filled the pump house and surrounding structures to the brim.

The groundwater table has also been fully recharged due to heavy rains and flooding in the Krishna River.

Of the ten pumps planned for installation near the Vattem pump house, four have been completed, while construction on the remaining six has been temporarily halted. The 20-km underground tunnel, its surge pool, and the pump house are all submerged.

In a related incident, the Bhakta Ramdas pump house at the Palair reservoir, which lifts water from the NSP left canal to irrigate approximately 60,000 acres under the SRSP Stage – II ayacut, has also been submerged. Restoration works for both pump houses are awaited.

Coming down heavily on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for neglecting his immediate duties while focusing on other pursuits, BRS working president KT Rama Rao said on X that the Vattem pump house was submerged on September 3, with flood waters inundating the Bahubali motors.

Despite the urgency of the situation, only one metre of water has been drained so far, leaving 18 more metres to be dewatered immediately.

“While CM Revanth Reddy is busy discovering and rediscovering the origins of computers and boarding flights to appease Delhi bosses, someone should remind this ‘Palamuru Bidda’ that he was vastly ignoring his duties!” he said, also questioning the Chief Minister’s commitment to Telangana and its farmers.

“Mr. Chief Minister, please answer as to why you are hellbent on destroying everything that is important to Telangana and its farmers?”