Hyderabad: Swift action by the state Irrigation department protected many projects and dams from breaching due to heavy inflows in the districts which received heavy rains over the last two days. Safety measures were taken at Pocharam project, Lower Manair dam and Upper Manair dams to prevent the loss of life and cattle in advance.

Meanwhile, water levels swelled in Krishna and Godavari basin projects due to heavy flows. Superintendent Engineer P Ramesh said that lower Manair dam has been receiving heavy inflows for the last two days and flood coming from the Mid Manair Reservoir. To prevent floods and protect the structures, the official said that spillway gates will be lifted on Friday and discharge water downstream. The release of water will prevent flooding of the villages in the low lying areas. The irrigation wing also issued an advisory to people not to cross the Maneru river in view of heavy inflows. State Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the 103-year-old Pocharam project withstood a massive flood of 1,82,000 cusecs which is more than the project capacity of 70,000 cusecs. The Pocharam project was the first one built by the Nizam government.

The Nizam rulers laid the foundation stone of the Pocharam project in 1917 in Pocharam village of Nagireddypet mandal, Manchippa lake, which is now Kamareddy district of the erstwhile Nizamabad district. The project has been providing irrigation and drinking water needs for the people of Nizamabad and Medak districts for the last 103 years. The minister said that all precautions were taken to protect the structure by discharging heavy inflows regularly.

In Godavari basin, the officials said that Kaddam Narayana Reddy project, Sripada Yellampally, Mid Manair, Lower Manair, Upper Manair and Nizam Sagar projects were brimming with heavy flows due to incessant rains in the catchment areas. The projects in Krishna basin were also flooding. Water levels in the Jurala project reached the optimum level. Pulichintala and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs were also receiving good inflows under the impact of the heavy rains.