Mandya: Speculation that the Ministry of Water Union resources may have recognized the allegation that the Dam Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) was under threat because of illegal mining around him as a senior officer team from the Ministry conducted a thorough examination of the dam on Friday.
The team led by Debhree Mukherjee, an additional secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti examined the rehabilitation works of the dam which had been completed under the Rehabilitation of Dam and Increased Project (Drops).
He was accompanied by Chief Engineer Drip Gulyan Raj, Project Director of Project Management Unit Center Pramod Narayan, Dr C C Rajagopal Singh, the World Bank task team leader and other senior officers.
The team first held a marathon meeting with state irrigation officials.
The team was said to have conducted a detailed investigation into completed rehabilitation works that included changing the door gate and grouting of the dam (to stop seepage and to increase the strength of the dam structure).
The team is said to have appreciated the Karnataka officials to carry out rehabilitation work effectively under the droplets.
It is seen as an indicator for the country that is approved for the second phase of work under the drops scheme.
Visits were not related to illegal mining: Official Senior Officer Cauvery Niravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) denied complicated that the central team from the Ministry of Water visited the dam to examine the stability of the Dam KRS due to illegal mining allegations that pose a hazard for the structure.
The team has examined the dam as part of his obligation to oversee the quality of rehabilitation works under dripping, he said.
“If it was true that the team had examined the dam in the background of illegal mining problems, the bearer of the senior dripping office would not be part of the team.
The team is here to check the quality of work and this visit is needed to give a nod to the second phase of rehabilitation work,” said A senior CNNL officer.
However, speculation still conducted a round that the Ministry of Water Resources sent a high-power team to assess the damage that might be caused by a dam because of the surrounding mining activities in the background of Manda MP Sumaratha complained to the Union Jal Shakti Minister Ganjendra Singh Shekhawat.
The prohibition of media people who met team members added a rumor base that the team collected details of irrigation officials about mining and illegal tremors recorded by Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (KSNDMC).