Hyderabad: Stating that the state govt would not compromise on the safety of irrigation projects, irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram barrages of the Kaleshwaram project would be operated only after rehabilitation works are completed and cleared by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Central Water Commission (CWC).Addressing the media at Vijay Vihar near the Nagarjuna Sagar dam after reviewing irrigation works with senior project engineers, Uttam said the state govt’s priority was safety, sustainability and the protection of public assets.The minister said the Kaleshwaram barrages were built with public funds amounting to ₹1.10 lakh crore. Around 40 villages, besides the temple town of Bhadrachalam and the famous shrine, could be at risk if the structures were operated without completing the required repairs, he said.Uttam said the govt had adopted a scientific approach to rehabilitate the barrages. Fresh geotechnical investigations, non-destructive testing, ground penetrating radar surveys, drone-based studies and the drilling of more than 100 boreholes had been undertaken to assess the condition of the structures, he informed.
