Members of Hirakud Dam Safety panel who visited the dam have expressed satisfaction over the present situation.
“Automation of the gates during the rainy season to release floodwater can make things rather safer,” said Er Sudhakar Patri, one of the members of the panel. Automation of the operations instead of manual operation has been widely accepted worldwide for safety point of view where in small and manual mistakes could be totally averted, Patri added.
“There is nothing to be worried over the safety of the dam as it is in total safe condition,” Patri said further.
Notably, Patri worked in various capacities here in the dam project including as its Chief Engineer. He is an expert on the techniques of dam safety and removal of sedimentation.
“The gates, cranes and many other types of equipment have become obsolete. Proposals will be placed before Government for modernisation and automation,” chairman of the panel AB Pandia said. But there is nothing more to be done for repairing of the cracks as it has already been done in accordance with the advanced technology, he added.
In order to release extra quantity of water to the capacity of 18 lakh cuses from the reservoir during peak periods, construction works for additional spillways have already been started from 2019 and expected to complete in March 2021. The panel also reviewed the progress of these works and gave necessary suggestions to expedite the process so that timely completion could be done.
“Additional spillways have become necessary under the present climatic changing situation where there is possibility of low or excess rainfall beyond the regular norms. In case of excess rainfall, the additional spillways will be of immense use and benefit for the safety of the dam,” the members opined.