Sinking and drift of piers of barrages built on the river beds with deep sand deposits is not uncommon and it has got nothing to do with the design or quality of construction and the recent such incident in Medigadda (Laxmi) Barrage of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project has disturbed six piers in Block-7.
Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar said here on Friday after holding a meeting on the damage caused to the barrage on October 21 evening. “The exact cause for the damage will be known only after a detailed investigation taken up after constructing a coffer dam to prevent water flowing to the damaged block of the barrage,” he disclosed.
Stating that the restoration work would be possible only after identifying the cause of damage, the official said the contract agency L&T would handle the work with guidance from the Central Designs Organisation. He mentioned that disturbance of piers had taken place in Farakka, Dowlaiswaram and Prakasam Barrages in their early years and they were rectified in due course.
