A gate of Tungabhadra dam was washed away in Vijayanagar district of Karnataka. This has increased the risk of devastation in the entire area. People living on the banks of Krishna river have been warned to be cautious. Meanwhile, a round of allegations and counter-allegations has also begun. The administration is saying that about 35,000 cusecs have been released, and a total of 48,000 cusecs of water will be released from the dam. Therefore, it can cause floods in the lower areas at any time. Since the dam has to be saved, it is necessary to release the water. But the question is how did the Tungabhadra dam, which has been standing for 70 years, break?
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shiv Kumar said, all the gates have been opened to prevent much damage to the dam. Water is being drained out. Talks are going on with two companies to repair the broken gate. So far, 38,000 cusecs of water has been released for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. AnyTV has gathered detailed information about the efforts being made to repair the dam. We have found out how such a big accident happened?
First know about Tungabhadra Dam
The plan for the Tungabhadra dam was made by Sir Arthur Cotton, a British engineer of Madras Presidency, in 1860. He wanted to provide irrigation facilities in the area, produce electricity and also use it to prevent floods. However, Hyderabad and Madras Presidency together started its construction in 1949 and it was completed in four years. This dam built on the Tungabhadra river was then named Pampa Sagar. Tungabhadra and Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala are the only two reservoirs in the country that have been prepared with a mixture of soil and limestone.
Then what happened…
On Saturday night, 40,000 cusecs of water was being released from 10 gates into the Tungabhadra river. Then at around 12.50 pm, the 19th gate broke. This happened because the chain link that was controlling it broke due to the heavy pressure of water on the gate. When it seemed that the dam would break, all 33 gates were opened to reduce the pressure. Water is flowing out of the crest gate very fast.
What is a crest gate?
You must be wondering what exactly is this crest gate? Actually, the crest gate is known as the spillway gate. It controls the overflow i.e. the water level in the dam. The water level of the dam should be 20 feet less. According to the Beijing IWHR Corporation, there is a flap in the crest gate. Usually it runs hydraulically. By looking at it, one can tell whether the dam is filled with more water or less. But it is being claimed that this time the signals of the crest gate were ignored. Due to which the water filled up more and the dam broke.
What will happen next?
According to experts, first of all, 60% of the water stored in the dam will have to be removed. After this, repairs will begin. To reduce the pressure on the broken gate, the flow of water from other gates will have to be increased. After this, a new crest gate will be constructed. It may take four days or more to repair it. BJP accused the Karnataka government of negligence and wastage of water. Opposition leader R Ashok said that for him the welfare of the party is more important than the people.
Tags: DK Shivakumar, Karnataka News
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 12, 2024, 20:28 IST
