Many reservoirs are in dangerous condition: BJP

BJP leader and Namami Ganga State convener Midathala Ramesh submitting a representation to Telugu Ganga SE P Naga Seshu at his office in Nellore on Monday

Nellore: Fearing the lurking danger to most of the reservoirs in the State, BJP leader and Namami Ganga State convener Midathala Ramesh appealed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to immediately review the condition of reservoirs to avoid incidents like 19th crest gate of Tungabhadra Dam got washed away in flood water.

Along with party leaders, he submitted a representation to Telugu Ganga SE P Naga Seshu at his office on Monday.

In his representation, the BJP leader pointed that most of the reservoirs including Somasila, Telugu Ganga, are in dangerous condition due to lack of proper maintenance as the previous YSRCP government totally neglected irrigation sector. Many reservoirs do not have stop lock gates and gantry crane that are meant to sluice gate valves of the dame disfunction, he added.

Stating that Karnataka government has incurred Rs 700 crore loss due to the washing away of Tungabhadra Dam 19th crest gate in flood water, Ramesh warned that there is a possibility that Somasila and Telugu Gdnga projects may tasted the same bitter experience.

He recalled that 15 years ago in 2009, National Dam Safety officials submitted a report to the government over gaping huge hole in Srisailam dam’s plunge pool area, which is posing a grave threat to the structure, but the government was least bothered over the issue.

The BJP leader has appealed that after witnessing Tungabhadra incident, the State government must take steps to revive the situation of reservoirs to avoid tragic incidents like Annamayya Dam in which more than 15 people got washed away.