WRD to keep Opa barrage under night watch too

Ponda: As the water level of the Khandepar river fluctuated through Sunday, the water resources department (WRD) decided to start monitoring the level at the barrage on the Opa Water Works campus at Khandepar village of Ponda taluka.Pandharinath Lawande, an assistant engineer of the WRD, said that a staffer will be deputed even for the night watch on the water levels. Currently, one staffer of the WRD monitors the level during the daytime.As the water level soars, it is necessary to have staff monitor the river level and manage it, Lawande said.The WRD operates a barrage that maintains the river level at 5m. The levels depend on the rain received by the catchment area of the Khandepar river.With the rise and dip of the river level, the barrage gates have to be opened or closed, for which round-the-clock vigil is necessary.Late on Saturday, the level rose to 6.8m and the gates of the barrage were opened to release the excess rainwater. The level receded to 4.8m on Sunday morning, said Sunil Kerkar, an assistant engineer of the department of drinking water in charge of the Opa Water Works.