Water lost as electrical fault keeps shutter open in Pambar dam

KRISHNAGIRI: Almost half of the water stored in Pambar dam at Uthangarai was lost after its fourth shutter got stuck without closing due to an electrical glitch on Wednesday night. The water level was 122 mc ft against the full capacity of 280 mc ft on Thursday morning.

According to sources, the Pambar dam irrigates 4, 000 acres of agricultural land and has a total water storage capacity of 280 mc ft. The full height of the dam is 19. 60 ft with five shutters. Following the incident, Krishnagiri Collector Dr V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy visited the dam and he said,

“The dam has attained maximum storage capacity of water on June 18. Since then water has been released from the dam. On Wednesday night, water inflow to the dam increased, thus the fourth shutter was opened. At the time, due to the electrical glitch, the wire rope of the shutter was snapped and the shutter was stuck. Workers were unable to close it. Due to the impact, the outflow of the water was 3, 818 cusecs and inflow was 2, 640 on Thursday at 11 am.”

He further said the issue will be rectified within seven days and a team headed by the Superintendent Engineer of the Water Resources Department will take the necessary steps. WRO sources told TNIE that water storage in the dam was 243. 20 mc ft against the full capacity of 280 mc ft on Wednesday morning, and it reduced to 122 mc ft on Thursday morning.

Also, the water was 17. 75 ft against the full height of 19. 60 ft on Wednesday morning, which reduced to 10. 84 ft on Thursday. The shutter will be repaired at the cost of Rs 15 lakh approximately. People living in the low-lying area of the South Pennai river have been warned not to go close to the river.