Official apathy rusts Musi project gates

The 61-year-old project is in a poor condition and is likely to be delayed further

Nalgonda: The Irrigation officials are finding it difficult to erect new crest gates in place of the existing ones and it is causing concern among farmers and people living downstream. The Musi reservoir, which was constructed across Musi River, the tributary of Krishna in 1954, with 3.87 tmcft storage capacity, is intended to supply drinking water to eight mandals and 30,000 acres of ayacut downstream.

The river has 20 gates in which 12 are crest gates and remaining eight are regulatory gates. The 12 gates are regularly lifted when the water level reaches 645 feet, the maximum storage level. If they receive sudden inflows into reservoir, the irrigation authorities will lift the remaining eight regulatory gates to allow the water downstream to save the reservoir.

With regulatory and crest gates developing rust as the rubber seats and valves were not installed, the water continues to leak from the reservoir. The leakage, according to an estimate, amounts to more than 200 cusecs. Enquiries with officials revealed that the reservoir, which is 61-year-old project, is in a very poor condition. The officials fear that the reservoir may suffer damage if the old crest gates are dismantled and new ones are erected. Cracks have developed on parts of the walls of the project.

The reservoir is in a bad condition because the successive governments failed to devote sufficient funds for the maintenance of the project. The officials, however, succeeded in replacing the regulatory gates. The officials planned to the complete all the works on the reservoir before the onset of monsoon. The officials are now caught on horns of dilemma whether to stop the works till the end of monsoon season.

Speaking to The Hans India, the Project Engineer Ramesh said the interest of farmers would be taken into consideration before taking a decision whether to continue the works. An engineer, on the condition of anonymity, said it would take just two to three days to replace old gates with the new ones. But the engineers had to struggle for over two weeks to replace old regulatory gates with the new once given the bad condition of the reservoir, he said.

Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veeresham said the project was neglected by the successive governments in the united Andhra Pradesh. Cracks also developed on some parts of the project due to lack of proper maintenance. On the request of TRS MLAs, the Chief Minister agreed to visit the project and take a decision on further modernisation of the project to increase its water storage capacity, he explained. Musi Parirakshana Samithi convenor Nune Venkata Swamy demanded that the State government sanction another Rs 100 crores for modernisation of the project.

Harish to inspect Musi Project today

Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao will inspect the modernisation works of Musi Project in Nalgonda district on Tuesday. The Minister will reach Nakrekal at 11 am and visit Chandupatla village where he would examine ongoing desilting works at Pedda cheruvu. Two months ago, the Chief Minister, Chandrashekar Rao, launched the Mission Kakatiya works at Pedda Cheruvu at Chandupatla village.

Later, the Irrigation Minister will reach Musi Project and inspect the ongoing project modernisation works. He will also address a public meeting in Nakrekal. Harish Rao would lay foundation stones for several development works in Nakreka constituency. Ministe for Power G Jagadish Reddy and several TRS MLAs will also accompany him.

By Pillalamarri Srinivas