: Vertical slip was reported in at least three spots on the northern bund of the Kollidam on Thursday due to heavy discharge of water from the Upper Anicut.
According to officials in Water Sources Department, the slips were noted about 1.5 km from the Upper Anicut near Kariamanickam. In all three locations, the side slope of the bund was eroded for a few meters, thereby raising the chances of breach of the bund. On information, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar rushed to the spot and held a detailed discussion with the officials.
He issued orders to the officials to take all possible steps to strengthen the bund. Following this, the WRD has swung into operation to save the bund from the danger of breach. A senior official of the WRD told The Hindu that men and machinery had been mobilised at the spot to take up the breach prevention work. There was a need to divert the flow of the river so as to decrease the pressure on the bund at the vulnerable spots. It required at least 200 loads of boulders to strengthen the bund, where the vertical spits were reported. Fifteen lorries had been hired to bring boulders from three quarries. The work would be carried out round-the-clock. The transportation of boulders has already begun. The official said that the situation was being closely monitored. Efforts were on to complete the work as early as possible. The Upper Anicut realised 1.30 lakh cusecs of water from the Cauvery at 4 pm on Thursday. Of it, 96,000 cusecs was discharged into the Kollidam and 35,000 cusecs in the Cauvery from the Upper Anicut.
The WRD received inputs that the discharge from the Stanley reservoir from Mettur had been brought down to 1.10 lakh on Thursday evening.
