Saying that the plying of heavy vehicles of mining companies carrying heavy loads on the bank of Kalyanalova reservoir is posing a threat to the revetment, former chief engineer of Irrigation Department U. Narayana Raju on Wednesday sought intervention of Collector V. Vinay Chand to stop the mining activity in the catchment area.
Addressing farmers from Kottakota village on Wednesday, Mr. Narayana Raju said that it was time the administration realised the importance of the issue and conduct study on the current storage capacity of the dam and restore it to its full capacity.
“How could the mining and revenue officials allow mining in the catchment area of Kalyanalova dam, without consulting the Irrigation Department which is custodian of the dam?,” Mr. Narayana Raju asked.
Mining in the catchment area was posing a threat to the vegetation and resulting in sedimentation of the dam, obstructing the streams feeding the reservoir, he explained.
Probe sought
Save the Kalyanalova movement convenor P.S. Ajay Kumar questioned the prudence of conducting an enquiry under the leadership of revenue and mining departments which had accorded permissions for mining in the first place.
“A probe by a Joint collector cadre officer should be ordered into the irregularities,” he said.
Photo exhibition
A photo exhibition depicting the damage done to the dam was organised which was followed by a meeting attended by farmers and tribal people from the catchment area of the dam.