CNNL consultant calls for slew of tests, safety measures for Kukkarahalli lake

MYSURU

A technical consultant for Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) who inspected the Kukkarahalli Lake in the city recently has suggested certain measures for the safety of the water body which was overflowing due to incessant rains.

H.K. Sampath Kumar had visited the lake and inspected the water body at the behest of K.M.Jayaramaiah, former member of Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority, and two engineers.

Mr. Sampath Kumar noted in his report that the lake does not have any surplus flood disposal arrangement apart from a sluice-controlled valve gate which was described as inadequate to mitigate the flood during any emergency.

There were concerns that the lake bandh or embankment could collapse due to heavy rains that lashed the region in October and the residential areas in the vicinity could be flooded. Mr. Kumar also suggested construction of a ‘’rock toe’’ in the downstream of the lake so as to reduce the dampness due to seepage in the downstream embankment as an ‘’immediate safety measure’’. It has also been suggested to construct a gated head regulator on the left flank of the embankment for flood disposal as a permanent measure.

During the inspection it was noted hat there was slight dampness or wetness on the lower portion of the bund or embankment at two or three locations though no cracks were observed.

Suggesting a slew of investigations Mr. Kumar called for preparing a schematic drawing indicating all the inlet point locations besides documentation of the salient features of the lake including normal flood level, maximum level observed in 2022, the water level on the corresponding day in the previous year etc.

He also suggested that tests should be conducted on soil parameters such as moisture content and their results obtained from Karnataka Engineering Research Station.