Project Troubles Compound: Water leakage at Annaram, Sundilla?

Hyderabad: Are Annaram (Saraswathi) Barrage in Mahadevpur mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Sundilla Parvati Barrage facing technical glitches resulting in water leakage? This issue had caused serious concern on Wednesday both among the people and the officials of the Irrigation department.

Some videos showing Irrigation department officials building ring bunds by laying sandbags on the upstream of the barrages to cut water flow from the affected areas of the two barrages without much success went viral on Wednesday. These barrages were constructed by the Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.

According to the officials, it was first believed that the problem of leakages from under the foundations was only at the Annaram ‘Saraswati’ barrage, but soon after, it emerged that a similar problem was also occurring at the Sundilla ‘Parvati’ barrage.

Sources said that an emergency ring bund was being ‘built’ at Sundilla to reduce water pressure and the leak, and to prevent sand from getting displaced from under the foundations but their effectiveness in controlling the leaks, are questionable.

Even after the gates were closed, the officials of the Irrigation department noticed some water flowing out through gate numbers 28 and 38. They immediately took some measures to prevent the flow of water by placing sandbags which were shifted there in small boats.

Around 2,357 cusecs of water was released downstream by lifting one gate.

This is one of the three barrages constructed as part of the KLIS. Officials had noticed the leakage of water at two gates of the Annaram barrage after the sand around pillar No 41 in block No 4 was washed away a few days ago.

Project Executive Engineer Yadagiri, in a statement, stated that there was nothing to be seriously concerned about it. He said routine maintenance work was being carried out to plug the seepage which was observed by the officials and field engineers about three days ago.

He said if the seepage was within permissible limits and there is no carriage of soil or sand particles, it is safe. There is no serious condition as described in videos being circulated on social media. “Sandbags are being laid as a precautionary remedial measure. We are reducing the storage levels in both Annaram and Sundilla barrages as a precautionary measure,” he said.

He further said that about 20 members belonging to the Congress of Annaram village had entered over the trunnion level walkway gate without taking permission of the Irrigation Department and came to gate No 38 and had illegally taken videos and photos and circulated on the social media trying to create a scare.

He said the Afcons Infrastructure has been asked to rectify the technical glitch in maintaining the barrage in consultation with the Irrigation officials.

It may be mentioned here that the Annaram barrage was constructed in 2017 as part of the KLIS project. The total water storage capacity of the barrage is 10.87 tmc. At present, the water level in the barrage was 5.71 tmc.