The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : KC canal reopening to be delayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 09, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

KC canal reopening to be delayed

Special Correspondent

— Photo U. Subramanyam

devastating: Breached bund of KC canal near Kurnool.

KURNOOL: Reopening of KC canal is likely to be delayed this season due to innumerable breaches throughout the length of the canal during the recent torrential rain.

The canal suffered breaches at 134 places, 14 of them are major. Nearly 70-meter long bund was washed away near Edurur, 15 km from here. Another yawning gap took place at Allur near Nandikotkur.

Officials of the Irrigation Department estimate that the repairs would cost the department Rs. 4 crore.

The officials launched repairs on a war-footing to reopen the canal by July 20. But the exercise might not be that easy.

Superintending Engineer Varadarajulu told The Hindu that bed-level works would be given top priority as canal bed is important in restoring supply. Lining of the canal was washed away at over a dozen places. The weak bunds and leaka ges would be tackled after reopening of the canal.

The largescale damage also brought into focus the structural defects after the canal was remodeled with the Japanese aid. During the canal modernisation, the inlets were left intact and all outlets were closed to arrest leakages.

The closed outlets proved to be the bane of the 130-year-old canal system now.

Even though the canal was closed at the head regulator, over 3,000 cusecs flowed into the canal, beyond the carrying capacity of the system, and caused discriminate breaches at the places where outlets existed in the original canal structures.

The irrigation authorities realised the serious lapse and are planning to reconstruct the outlets, which would cost a considerable amount of money. Meanwhile, the Tungabhadra Low Level Canal (LLC) suffered loss to the tune of Rs 1.1. crore.

Also, 143 tanks breached requiring an amount of Rs 17.5 crore for restoration.

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