CLEARING THE GROUND: Work apace at the designated site for the tail-pond dam of Nagarjunasagar, near Satrasala, in Guntur district on Thursday. - Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

SATRASALA (Guntur dt.): The Krishna flows in a gorge near this forlorn thanda, with undulating expanse of thorny bushes sloping in from either side.

Meandering through parched wilderness in the Palnadu area, the river is a soothing sight, but none dares to visit it here for three reasons -- long distance to be trekked, risk of being sighted by naxalites and the furnace-like weather caused by stone slabs reflecting the scorching summer heat.

However, of late, high-level activity is witnessed on the right flank by engineers and workmen to construct the sixth structure across the Krishna in the State, the much-talked-about `Tail Pond Dam' of Nagarjunsagar project. Almost overnight, the APGenco dumped men and machinery on the bank following Government directions to go ahead with the 30-metre high dam and impound the river for creation of a pond extending up to the toes of Nagarjunasagar which lies 21 km upstream.

The pond was contemplated to facilitate the reversible turbines of the Nagarjunasagar powerhouse to operate in pumping mode but remained in cold storage all these years.

Once the pond is created, turbines of the 815 MW capacity powerhouse will be able to pump water back into the reservoir for power generation during peak hours.

Brisk work

Three more features have been added to the Rs. 464-crore tail-pond dam -- a 50 MW powerhouse embedded in it, a tourism component with boats to bring in visitors from Nagarjunasagar, and a link canal bringing Godavari waters into the pond from the upcoming Dummagudem project.

Working in inhospitable conditions, the workmen have built a coffer dam, successfully restricting the river flow to the left side to facilitate construction activity on the right flank. Digging work is apace with the help of excavators and bulldozers. Nearly one acre of space has been created for raising the foundations and constructing the powerhouse. An office has been erected with pre-fabricated panels. M. Ramesh, SE of the project, says: "We will complete the dam at any cost by March 2008."

Submergence under the pond will be minimum - about 1,500 acres spread over seven villages in Guntur and Nalgonda districts. There is no resistance from villagers as they are happier with the compensation than having barren lands.

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