NDSA panel with ex-head of CWC to study Kaleshwaram barrages, report in 4 months

HYDERABAD: The Ministry of Jal Shakti constituted a five-member committee to be headed by J Chandrashekhar Iyer, ex-chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC) to inspect Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Project. The Committee will submit its report to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) within four months.

The committee would hold discussions with concerned stakeholders for holistic appreciation of site-related issues and ascertain the hydraulic, structural, and geotechnical aspects of the three barrages, the order said.

They would also examine the project data, drawings, design memoranda, tests, site investigation reports, barrage inspection reports, and other reports, material related to design, construction, quality control, and quality assurance of the three barrages.

The committee members would interact with concerned stakeholders, and agencies (Govt./ PSU/ Private, etc.) responsible for site investigations, design, construction, quality control and assurance, operation and maintenance, and related issues of the three barrages.

The Jal Shakthi ministry wanted the committee to examine the physical and mathematical model studies carried out for aiding the design of three barrages, to examine the causes leading to the sinking of Medigadda Barrage, as well as any other distress that was observed. Further, examine the causes of distress that may be observed in the other two upstream barrages.

They would recommend measures or further studies, and investigations to address and mitigate the distress condition of the three barrages and to recommend measures to prevent the recurrence of such issues. The committee may co-opt any other member as per requirement, with the permission of the chairman, NDSA.

The Union Government constituted the committee after the secretary, of Irrigation, and CAD Department, Government of Telangana requested the chairman of, National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) to arrange for a thorough inspection and study of the designs and construction of the three barrages Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of Kaleshwaram Project on February 13, 2024.

The NDSA, as per the second schedule of the Dam Saftey Act 2021, constituted the committee with J. Chandrashekhar Iyer, ex-chairman, Central Water Commission, New Delhi as chairman, U. C. Vidyarthi, scientist E, Central Soil and Materials Research Station, New Delhi, as non-official member, R. Patil, scientist E, Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune as member, Shiv Kumar Sharma, director, BCD (E & NE) Dte. Central Water Commission, New Delhi as a member, Rahul Kumar Singh, director, gates (NW & S), CWC & director (Disaster & Resilience), NDSA, New Delhi as a member, and Amitabh Meena, director (Technical). NDSA, New Delhi as member secretary.