Karnataka govt. to form expert panel to assess condition of all dams in State

BENGALURU: In the backdrop of one of the crest gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir being washed away, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said the state government is constituting an expert committee to assess the condition of all dams in the state.

Shivakumar, also the Water Resources Minister, said efforts are on to restore the crest gate at the dam and there is no need for anyone to worry over the issue.

One of the crest gates (19th gate) of the Tungabhadra reservoir near the district headquarters town of Koppal was washed away after its chain link snapped on Friday midnight, following which the downstream areas were put on alert, as a huge quantity of water was being released.

"Yesterday I visited the T B (Tungabhadra) Dam, we have taken immediate action. I have spoken to contractors and we have sent the designs. In four to five days, we will try to repair it. We want to save at least one crop for our farmers, we are taking all necessary measures for it. The Chief Minister is also visiting there tomorrow. I have also discussed with the technical team," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said: "I'm not denying that it was dangerous, for the first time in 70 years such a thing has happened, but there is no need for anyone including farmers to worry."

"We will form a committee for the safety of all dams and will send them to all dams. An expert committee will be formed in a couple of days and will be sent to visit all dams and seek a report from them after assessment," he said.

As per National Register of Large Dams maintained in the Central Water Commission and National Dam Safety Authority, there are 231 large dams currently in operation in Karnataka.

After visiting the Tungabhadra dam on Sunday, Shivakumar had said that as there was a possibility of damage to the structure of the dam, all the gates were opened from where 38,000 cusecs of water is being released to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while the inflow is 28,000 cusecs.

He had also said out of 38,000 cusecs of water being released, 35,000 is flowing from the 19th gate itself.

According to official sources, the Tungabhadra dam, with a maximum storage capacity of 133 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft), had 100 tmcft of water as of Saturday, with the remaining being silt. One tmcft is around 11,000 cusecs.

Further noting that at other dams there were double chain links, but in the case of Tungabhadra dam there was only one which got cut, Shivakumar today said: "Looking at the pressure of the water I too felt some problem. We can save water to about 55-60 tmcft, we are taking measures for it."

"We have ordered (for the crest gate) I have also spoken to JSW for a strong iron. Whoever had made it (gate) earlier, we have given them the design, work is on and in four to five days we will try to settle things. Efforts are on at a war footing," he said.

To a question about allegations that the priority given in case of Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam across river Cauvery, is not given to Tungabhadra dam and others, Shivakumar said: "people who want to make politics or allegations let them do it.

Tungabhadra dam is not controlled by Karnataka, there is a separate board for it, for which we are members."

"The dam is with us, but the keys are with them (board), but it is still ours...we have more responsibility," he added.

Shivakumar also rejected JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's alleged claims that the KRS dam is also facing a problem, and said: "What Kumaraswamy knows? He only knows how to do politics. What problem is there according to him?"

Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders led by state President B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, and former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai visited Tungabhadra dam today.

Speaking to reporters, Vijayendra alleged that the issue has cropped due to officials not taking appropriate measures, and said that the state government should take the responsibility and give a compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare to farmers in this region.

"The Water Resources Minister (Shivakumar) has yesterday said that officials will not be held responsible. Then who is responsible? It seems as though the Minister has no interest in the state's water, farmers, and he only seems to be interested in resources... the farmers in this region are in distress, they were planning two crops this time," he said.

Noting that about 60-70 tmcft of water has to be released to the river for the repair of the dam's gate, he alleged that this incident has happened due to the state's government's "irresponsibility," and pointed out that for the last one year Chief Engineer has not been appointed here.