Singur reservoir to be emptied from December 1 for major repair works

Irrigation officials will begin phased emptying of the Singur reservoir from December 1 to repair damaged upstream revetment and embankments. A technical panel has inspected the site, and Rs 16 crore has been sanctioned for works to be completed before the next monsoon.

Sangareddy: Irrigation officials have decided to begin gradually emptying the Singur reservoir from December 1 to take up repair works on the project’s upstream revetment and earthen embankments.

A technical committee constituted by the State government to chalk out a plan for the repairs and depletion of water, comprising engineering officials from Irrigation, Mission Bhagiratha and HMWSSB, inspected the project on Saturday. The committee will submit its report to the State government within a week after considering the views of all departments concerned.

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Speaking on the occasion, Engineer in Chief (General) Amjad Hussain said the reservoir would be emptied in phases while observing the damage on the upstream revetment. He said the water would be released until the damaged portion of the revetment was exposed. Appealing to citizens not to panic, the engineering team said alternative arrangements would be made for drinking water supply to Sangareddy, Kamareddy and Medak districts, and to Patancheru and Serilingampally areas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

The team aims to complete the repair works before the beginning of the next rainy season to avoid further inconvenience, and said the repairs would withstand for the next 50 years.

The government was compelled to take up the repair works after the Dam Safety Review Panel of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the State Dam Safety Organisation (SDSO) found damage to the upstream revetment and the earthen embankments, suggesting immediate rectification. The government has allocated Rs 16 crore for the works.

Meanwhile, irrigation officials have brought down the water level to 16 TMCft against the Singur full reservoir level of 29.91 TMCft.