NDSA final report on KLIS barrages may involve more delays

The final report from the NDSA is not anticipated before the end of the year, with the possibility of further delays.

Hyderabad: The State government is awaiting the final report from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) on the Medigadda barrage and two other crucial barrages that form part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. This report is expected to provide an essential way forward on the rehabilitation of these barrages, potentially recommending permanent works if necessary. But the hopes for the barrages to be operational by the next crop season, particularly for the Rabi, appear slim.

Expected delays

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The final report from the NDSA is not anticipated before the end of the year, with the possibility of further delays. The completion of the report hinges on certain investigations that the state irrigation department has been tasked with, involving national agencies specialized in these fields. The Minister for Irrigation, N Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged the department officials to expedite the submission of these investigations to the NDSA.

In an interim report sent to the State government in May, the NDSA experts committee recommended several interim measures to be implemented before the monsoon season to maintain the current condition of the barrages. For Block-7 of Medigadda, the panel suggested monitoring cracks, adequately bracing piers 16 to 22 to prevent lateral movement, and rectifying or replacing defective pressure release valves in the raft.

Despite limited time, the irrigation department managed to complete these interim works to a major extent spending over Rs 60 crores. It also carried out the studies desired by the NDSA by engaging central agencies such as the Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS) and the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS).

However, further investigations, including geophysical and geotechnical studies, were suspended as the part of the barrage structures, especially those suspected to be impacted, were submerged under a sheet of water by the first week of July. These studies are expected to resume after the flood levels recede, likely after October, and will take at least three months to complete, extending beyond December.

The NDSA can only prepare its final report after receiving the State-sponsored investigations. Consequently, the entire process is unlikely to be completed before the next Rabi crop harvest, meaning there will be no water lifting from the Medigadda barrage for the Yasangi crops in the ayacut.

The delay in the final report from the NDSA and the subsequent rehabilitation of the barrages pose a significant challenge for the upcoming Rabi season. It would be a trying time again for the farmers who were deprived of the Rabi crop last year too by draining the three barrages to facilitate an end-to-end physical investigation of the structures.