Warangal Urban: The Kakatiya canal of the Sri Ram Sagar Project (SPRP) developed a huge crater near Gundlasingaram village near here on Tuesday, leading to flooding of Indiramma colony in the village.
High drama ensued as the villagers who noticed the water flooding the area alerted the officials, who tried in vain to open the canal gates to let out water downstream. Due to some technical problem, the gates did not open and water flooded the residential colony. Subsequently, officials managed to open the gates of the escape channel to let out the water.
Apprehensions are rife over the possibility of water flooding the area again after the villagers noticed another huge crater formed on the road along the canal. Meanwhile, locals alleged that the poor quality works during the canal modernization had led to breach. It is said that the canal was renovated about a year ago. Irrigation SE Venkateshrwalu, DyEE Bhaskar Rao and AE Madhava Rao are taking steps to avert the breach.
Ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Satavathy Rathode have spoken to the officials and asked them to take up repair works immediately.
The Kakatiya canal, which runs for a length 284 km, has now turned into a lifeline of north Telangana, covering the districts of Nizamabad, Nirmal, Jagityal, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Warangal Rural, Warangal Urban, Jayshankar Bhupalapalli, Mahabubabad and Suryapet districts. Minister for Panchyat Raj and Rural Development Errabelli Dayakar Rao has directed the officials to see that there would not breach or damage to the canal. When contacted, SRSP, Warangal, DyEE Balakrishna Kalakuntla said that the bund had developed a cavity due to pressure of the vehicles that pass through the bund which is also used as a road. “Though the gates of the canal gave trouble in lifting, we have managed to lift all three gates and let out the water into the main canal. Only some water was released through the escape channel,” he said and added that there 1400 cusecs of water flow in the canal. The location of the cavity is very close to the Kakatiya University campus under Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) limits.
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