Engineers’ ‘behaviour’ irks NDSA experts

The sixmember experts’ team of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), led by former Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC) J. Chandrashekhar Iyer, has expressed dismay over ‘non cooperation’ in sharing the required information by some engineers and officials, including those who retired from service, of the Kaleshwaram project.

After making a preliminary inspection and study of the sinking of piers on Medigadda Barrage and other damages, the team returned to Hyderabad and held a meeting. All stakeholders involved in the investigation into the fiasco, hydrology, model studies, designs, construction, quality control and operation and maintenance of the three barrages since 2016, including those in service, transferred and retired were summoned for the meet with EngineerinChief (General) G. Anil Kumar issuing an office memo on March 6 itself.

However, sources stated that his predecessor C. Muralidhar and a few others skipped the meeting. In their effort to ascertain the details of the three barrages chronologically, Mr. Iyer was understood to have expressed disappointment over the noncooperative attitude in sharing complete information, including blaming others.

Further, the team discussed temporary rehabilitation measures for the three barrages keeping in view the coming flood season. They also held separate meeting with engineers who were engaged in the execution of barrages.

Earlier, they had separate meetings with Secretary (Irrigation) Rahul Bojja and all the ENCs of the Irrigation department.

After returning to Delhi or Pune, the team is likely to decide on the next course of action for a technical investigation.