Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the Agriculture Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana about the ongoing restoration work on the Tungabhadra Dam gate.

In the presence of both ministers, Siddaramaiah briefed the media, emphasizing the urgency of the repairs and assuring that farmers across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana would not face undue hardship due to the incident. He confirmed that measures are being taken to mitigate the impact on agriculture following the damage to the 19th gate of the Tungabhadra Dam, which has been crucial for regulating water flow.

"The damage to the 19th gate, which has historically regulated water flow, is unprecedented in the dam's 70-year history," the Chief Minister noted. The compromised gate has resulted in the loss of 35,000 cusecs of water. Despite this, the dam currently holds 115 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water, with 25 TMC already allocated to farmers.

The Chief Minister highlighted that repairs are underway and will take approximately four to five days, with Hindustan Engineering and Narayana Engineering overseeing the work under expert supervision. "Repairs cannot begin until the water level is reduced. Once the gate is fixed, we expect the dam to refill, and I will personally offer worship once it is full," he added.

Addressing the broader impact, he assured farmers that the dam’s water reserves will be sufficient for their initial crop needs. He acknowledged the water loss but reassured that heavy rainfall is expected from August 17, which should further support agricultural activities.

The Chief Minister also addressed historical maintenance issues, stating that while there were problems with canals in 2019, the dam gates had not faced issues until now. Experts recommend replacing gate chains every 50 years to prevent such incidents.

Regarding accountability, the Chief Minister mentioned that the Tungabhadra Dam Board, which includes members from the Union government, Central Water Commission, and the states involved, is responsible for addressing such issues. He also announced that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Navali Dam, an inter-state project costing Rs 15,000 crore, has been prepared and will proceed once approved.

The Chief Minister reiterated that both state and central authorities are committed to taking appropriate action to ensure effective management of the dam and support for affected farmers.