Probe into unchecked dam water flow to AP sought

MALKANGIRI:Locals and members of various tribal organisations of the district have urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to probe into the lapses by  Balimela Dam Project (BDP) officials for unchecked water flow from Chitrakonda reservoir to Andhra Pradesh.

hey alleged that acting on a letter of the Executive Engineer, Civil (O&M) Division-I, Upper Silleru of AP, the Chitrakonda Executive Engineer had increased the amount of water released from 1,300 cusec to 7,000 cusec recently without approval of the joint water body meeting. The officials of OHPC, State Water Resources Department and Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) are members of the joint water committee, which monitors the water sharing of the dam.

Similarly, violating the joint water body’s February 23 decision to allow only 3,000 cusec, the officials allowed flow of 3,200 cusec water from the dam to Andhra Pradesh through the emergency tunnel gate which was opened after almost 45 years in January. More than a month has passed since the gate was opened to release water to enable APGENCO carry out renovation in the downstream of the dam. But water is flowing out unchecked as the roller bearer of the gate is not working, they said.

Meanwhile, a Balimela Dam Project engineer, requesting anonymity, criticised his own officials for increasing the amount of water released without taking the joint water body into confidence.

On the other hand, the unprecedented fall of water level in the reservoir has  delayed the completion of Gurupriya bridge work. As the water level has come down drastically, it is not possible to undertake work with the help of pontoons. The receding water level has forced the construction agency to change in design, sources said.