Irrigation officials told to maintain 24x7 vigilance at dams, canals, reservoirs

Time of India

3 days ago

Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday instructed all engineers, officers and employees of the irrigation department to stay put at their respective stations and maintain round-the-clock vigil at dams, reservoirs, canals and tanks.
He also told them to act immediately to prevent breaches as Telangana prepares for several more days of heavy to very heavy rain.
The emergency directives were issued during a high-level video conference with engineers-in-chief, chief engineers, superintending engineers, executive engineers, and deputy executive engineers from across the state. Principal secretary (irrigation) Rahul Bojja, special secretary Prashanth Patil and other senior engineering officials attended the meeting.
Uttam told the engineers to bypass red tape and use funds instantly for flood-related works, instructing top officials to remain physically present at their assigned project sites for the next 72 hours. Citing the latest IMD update, he said Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Khammam, Medak, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Mulugu, Sangareddy, Suryapet, Vikarabad and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri districts were likely to receive very heavy rain in the next 24 hours, while other parts of Telangana could experience heavy rainfall over the next three days.
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"No officer is to leave the station or apply for leave during this critical period," he said. "From the smallest village-level structure to the largest dam site, every location must be watched closely. If you sense any danger or believe a situation is getting out of control, inform your district collector, your chief engineer and the irrigation secretary immediately," he told the officials.
The minister directed that all major and medium projects, canals, embankments, lakes and especially tanks be monitored without interruption, with special attention to those already full.
If any breach is detected in a canal or tank, immediate steps must be taken to prevent damage or loss. Irrigation officials were told to work in coordination with revenue officials and police to patrol dam sites and vulnerable areas.
Special watch must be maintained for signs of overflow, seepage or structural distress.
To avoid delays in emergency response, Uttam authorised officials to utilise available financial resources immediately, as given in GO 45, for flood protection works.
"This is not the time for paperwork delays. Act fast, and act decisively," he said.
During the conference, the minister conducted district- and project-wise reviews, including Nagarjuna Sagar, Jurala, Kadem, and other major reservoirs. He personally enquired about the status of all projects, tanks and canals in the state, and sought detailed updates on water levels, inflow patterns in the Krishna and Godavari rivers and their tributaries, flood discharge capacity and readiness of floodgates.
Officials informed him that the situation was currently under control, with all standard safety protocols in place, but assured him that field monitoring would be intensified. The minister emphasised that all top engineers should remain physically present at the project sites they are responsible for, to ensure quick decision-making and coordination with district authorities. The department's alert mechanism, he said, must be kept fully active, with rapid communication channels open at all times.
Uttam also said he would be on standby on his mobile phone over the next two-three days to respond to any urgent development. "We cannot afford to be complacent. Every minute counts when dealing with heavy inflows and potential breaches," he warned.
The meeting concluded with engineer-in-chief Amjad briefing officers on additional operational precautions, technical checks and contingency plans to be followed during the heavy rainfall period.
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