The Irrigation Department has initiated the process for the replacement of the century-old Krishna eastern main canal head sluice with the construction of a cross bund downstream of the structure.
The replacement of the head sluice is being done as part of the Krishna delta modernisation.
Excavators scooped up earth from the banks of the Krishna eastern main canal on Friday and began forming a cross bund required to dry out the canal bed.
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Dumping
Thousands of gallons of storm and sewage water are dumped directly into the canal and the other three canals that transect the city.
The canal bed has to be dried to a certain extent for the construction of the new head sluice that will be built about 50 metres downstream. A cross-bund is therefore needed to prevent the water dumped into the canal from flooding the work site.
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Excellent masonry
Though the anicut which is the base of the Prakasam Barrage was constructed in 1854, improvements have been made to the head sluices that release water into the canals several times.
The technology and structures for hoisting the sluice gates has been changed often, but the excellent masonry which is more than a hundred years old has been left untouched.
The only difference this time is that an altogether new head sluice will be constructed. After the construction of the new sluice the old structure will be removed.
The sluice gate regulates water for the irrigation of over six lakh acres of very fertile high-yielding land in Krishna and West Godavari districts.