River water activist calls for urgent action on Srisailam rehabilitation

The National Dam Safety Authority remained indifferent to warnings raised by Telangana’s engineering department about the worsening state of the dam’s plunge pool, says Prakash Rao

Hyderabad: Sounding a serious alarm over the deteriorating condition of the Srisailam dam, V Prakash Rao, a noted river water activist and former chairman of the Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation, has said that the onus remained much on the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) so far as the rehabilitation of the Srisailam project was concerned.

Speaking on Sunday, Rao pointed out that the Srisailam dam had been showing signs of neglect for more than a decade, with its plunge pool suffering prolonged damage. Despite the NDSA’s mandate to periodically assess the condition of major dams across the country, he accused the authority of neglecting its duty, particularly regarding the Srisailam project.

Since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the operational control and maintenance of the dam have been overseen by the AP government. Rao criticised the NDSA for failing to intervene sooner. He alleged that it remained indifferent to the warnings raised by Telangana’s engineering department about the worsening state of the plunge pool.

He expressed concern that if repairs are not completed before the monsoon season, the consequences could be severe. Rao questioned why the NDSA has remained silent, even as directives to complete the restoration work have been largely ignored by the Government of AP.

In contrast, he pointed out that during the tenure of the previous BRS government in Telangana, the Nagarjuna Sagar dam remained under its operational control. The Telangana administration prioritized the maintenance of the joint project, ensuring its upkeep timely. However, since the transition of authority, Telangana officials have reportedly been denied free access to the dam site, following the deployment of CRPF personnel who are being monitored by the Krishna River Management Board.

Rao urged the NDSA to take strict action and ensure immediate measures to prevent a potential disaster. With growing concerns about dam safety, the activist emphasized the need for proactive intervention to safeguard water infrastructure and public security.