Uttam bats for scientific desiltation to restore reservoirs

Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday directed officials to adopt scientific methods for desiltation of major irrigation projects, ensuring both restoration of storage capacity and long‑term flood protection.Reviewing works at the secretariat, he emphasised that reservoirs in the Godavari and Krishna basins must regain their original capacities to secure water supply, expand irrigation potential, and reduce flood risks.

The minister urged officials to study desiltation models from other states and align them with national guidelines on sediment management. Warning that delayed action could prove costly, he cited Punjab’s floods last year, which inundated 16 districts and forced the govt to spend nearly ₹2,000 crore on damages and compensation.Highlighting successful practices, Uttam Reddy pointed to Kerala’s Mangalam Dam project undertaken in 2017, where scientifically planned desiltation not only reduced sedimentation but also generated economic benefits from excavated material. He said Telangana should adapt such models to local conditions.The minister reviewed challenges in desilting the Kadam project and assessed progress at the Lower Manair Dam and Mid Manair reservoir, directing officials to resolve operational bottlenecks.

He stressed that excess expenditure could have been avoided through timely preventive measures, including systematic desiltation and restoration of drainage.He asked chief engineers of the Sri Ram Sagar and Nizam Sagar projects to conduct comprehensive assessments and submit recommendations on feasible measures to restore lost storage capacity.