Hyderabad: Recent floods and heavy rains have caused significant damage, with the irrigation department reporting that 773 water tanks and canals have been breached.
To address this, an estimated 560 crore will be needed for urgent repairs. This includes 75 crores for temporary fixes and an additional 483 crores for permanent repairs to the affected water bodies and canals.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has instructed officials to prioritize the repair of breached water tanks, lakes, and pump houses, and check dams urgently.
He emphasized the need to ensure water supply for farmers during the ongoing kharif season.
The department stated that the Nagarjuna Sagar’s left canal at Kagitham Ramachandrapuram has breached due to backwaters from the Palair reservoir.
Additionally, they reported that 285 minor irrigation sources had been damaged and breached.
In a recent review meeting, the minister noted several shortcomings identified during his recent field inspections, particularly the lack of consistent monitoring of regulators and shutters at irrigation projects, which could potentially lead to significant mishaps.
He also had highlighted that the shutter of an irrigation project was swept away during the process of lifting the gates.
He warned that chief engineers would be held accountable for any future incidents that may occur.
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