Irrigation authorities are jittery since yesterday as they are finding it tough to close the 9th gate of the 16th flood gates (also known as 9th gate in 5th weir) of the Nizamsagar Project despite an engineering team being summoned from Hyderabad.
The gate, which was lifted to let out water into the Manjeera on Sunday, could not be closed even as engineers tried their level best. Till yesterday, 28 gates were kept open, but today nine were closed.
Engineers from the GSR Sugars Limited, Maggi, also made an unsuccessful attempt to close it down. It is said that the gates are not in proper condition as they were not greased from time to time with the reservoir remaining empty all these years. Godavari River Basin Authority Commissioner Madhusudhan, SE Gangadhar and EE Satyasheela Reddy are camping at the spot and supervising the works.
Meanwhile, 1,02,700 cusecs of water reached the Nizamsagar reservoir by Tuesday evening. The dam contains 14.5 tmcft as against its full capacity of 17.80 tmcft.
A huge inflow of 3.20 lakh cusecs continues to come into the Sriramsagar Project and an equal quantity is being discharged into the river.
