A spillway gate was washed away from the groove at the Tungabhadra Dam on Aug 10 night. The Tungabhadra Project is an important multipurpose river project in South India. The dam, located in Karnataka, serves the people of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
It plays an important role in irrigation of farmland, supports hydroelectric power generation, helps in flood control and supports drinking water supply. On August 10, ten spillway gates, numbered 12 to 21, had been operated to a height of 1.5 feet, releasing 22,890 cusecs of water.
At 10.50 pm the spillway gate No.19 was washed away from the groove of the spillway.
Following the gate's dislodgment, the Tungabhadra Dam Board immediately informed higher authorities, including disaster management officials in the districts of Ballari, Vijayanagar, Raichur, Koppal, and Kurnool. "Action is being taken to fabricate a new stop log gate in consultation with the gate works expert Kannaih Naidu, who also submitted the design and drawings of stop log gate elements, meanwhile discussion has been made with the fabricators in the presence of dam authority, Managing Director, KNNL & Secretary, TB Board," a press statement from the Tungabhadra Board Secretary stated. In the afternoon Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar who also holds the portfolio of irrigation and water resources rushed to inspect the Dam and assess the situation.
Accompanied by Minister for Minor Irrigation NS Boseraju, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, Kann.