CM to visit Tungabhadra Dam tomorrow

Vijayanagara, NT Bureau: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will visit the Pampa Sagar Reservoir, otherwise known as the Tungabhadra Dam, near Hospet in Vijayanagara district on Tuesday, following the 19th gate of the reservoir giving way in the wee hours of Sunday.

Siddaramaiah also held a meeting with the Water Resources Department officials on Sunday to take stock of the situation. Department Principal Secretary Gaurav Gupta was a part of the meeting.

Deputy CM and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar, Vijayanagara district in-charge minister Zameer Ahmed and Koppal district incharge minister Shivaraj Thangadagi also discussed the matter with the CM.

Shivakumar, who visited the dam on Sunday, disclosed that the gate had collapsed around 12:50 am on Sunday. Repair works are being pursued currently as two firms have taken charge of the same.

However, 60 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) water has to be released to enable the repair. About 38,0000 tmcft of water has already been released as on Sunday.