Telangana terms NDSA report on Medigadda unreasonable, hasty

Telangana Irrigation Dept. terms NDSA's scathing comments on Medigadda Barrage unsubstantiated. Dept. submitted documents on 17/20 aspects sought, 3 on Nov. 1. Dept. surprised at conclusions made without investigative work. Exact reasons for sinking piers to be assessed after coffer dam construction. Prototype developed by CWC to eliminate possibility of barrage loads impinging on piles. Pre-monsoon inspection not possible as dam added to list on July 12. Dept. requests NDSA to cooperate in speedy, effective restoration.

The Irrigation Department of Telangana has termed the scathing comments made in the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) expert team report on the design, construction and operation and maintenance of Medigadda Barrage of Kaleshwaram Project as either unsubstantiated or made without full appreciation of facts.

In a letter addressed to Chairman of the NDSA Sanjay Kumar Sibal on Saturday after holding a lengthy meeting with the senior engineers of the department who included Engineers-in-Chief, Special Chief Secretary Rajat Kumar said although information about 11 out 20 aspects sought was submitted, documents pertaining to others were placed before the team both during the inspection and meeting on October 24.

He mentioned that they had received a letter on October 27 to furnish documents on all 20 aspects by October 29, they were sent for 17 aspects through mail on October 29 though they were not given any time (working days) to prepare the voluminous reports. Documents on the remaining three aspects were sent on November 1.

However, without checking the details submitted by the State Dam Safety authorities, a comprehensive indictment of Kaleshwaram project was communicated to the State Government in a hasty manner, Mr. Rajat Kumar said. “We are surprised that conclusions have been made about the causes of failure of the barrage without any investigative work by the committee, knowing well that correct causes could be determined only after proper inspection of the foundation and other related structures under water now,” he observed.

A coffer dam was under construction now by the contract agency to divert water to facilitate thorough inspection of the affected portions of the barrage. The exact reasons for the sinking of piers could be assessed only after the completion of investigation work, and the irrigation department would not agree with NDSA conclusion without doing anything of that sort.

On the reason of settlement of the raft cited for the failure of the barrage, the Special Chief Secretary said the prototype for the flexible joint with the main raft and secant piles in the barrage was developed by the Central Water Commission, he said it would eliminate the possibility of barrage loads directly impinging on the piles as reasoned by NDSA.

Further, he stated that as the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla Barrges of Kaleshwaram Project were including to the list of specified dams only on July 12 this year, the pre-monsoon inspection could not be carried out, but all other provisions of the Dam Safety Act were being scrupulously complied with, and requested the NDSA to cooperate with the State agencies in speedy and effective restoration in a purely professional manner without any extraneous considerations.