All 70 corroded crest gates to be replaced

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 5. The State Government has decided to replace all the 70 corroded crest gates of the Prakasam barrage at Vijayawada at a cost of Rs. 10 crores after an underwater videographic inspection by Prof. V.S.Raju of the Indian Institute of Technology at Chennai has shown that the apron of the barrage is safe.

These gates have been under water for some years now because of the decision to maintain water in the barrage to its full capacity so that it goes by gravitation to the Vijayawada Thermal Power Station for cooling purposes.

There have been apprehensions that the barrage might have been damaged because of lack of repairs.

A statement from Chief Minister's office said that the study by Prof. Raju had allayed all suspicions about the threat to the barrage.

Prof Raju, who was present at the review meeting held by the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, here today, said that there was no scours at the barrage, but scours were found in the upper stream.

The Chief Secretary, Mr. P.V. Rao, the Irrigation Secretary, Mr. P.K. Agarwal, the Energy Secretary, Mr. V.S. Sampath, and Chairman of the APGENCO, Mr. J. Parthasarathy, were also present during the review.

The Chief Minister directed officials to take up scour filling and investigation works of the upper stream apron, bodywall, upstream face of piers and foundations.

The Prakasam barrage has an ayacut of 13 lakh acres in West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts.

In another review meeting of the revenue-earning departments, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu that officers' work should be evaluated, and those performing well should be rewarded while those performing below par should be punished.

Where there was a fall in revenue, officials should analyse the reason for this fall and take up a review. Officials of the Irrigation Department were directed to collect dues from farmers and distribute the amount among Water Users Associations.

He said that a committee of officers would be formed soon to sort out inter-departmental disputes.

The Chief Minister wanted NAFED to enter the market to stabilise the prices of redgram, which is selling at Rs. 1,000 a quintal while the minimum support price was Rs. 1,200.

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Section  : Southern States
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