Khuga Dam : Conceptualised with inherent flaws
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 25 2011:
There were flaws in the design of the Khuga Multi-purpose Project from the very initial stage.
On the other hand, a power component of 1.5 MW incorporated into the project's design has been scrapped totally.
The Khuga Multi-purpose Project was was inaugurated by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi sans the power component in November last year when the project had completed 30 years since it was first implemented.
An independent investigation conducted by The Sangai Express brought to light that the much awaited power component was scrapped sometime back.
The project was first taken up way back in 1980 after the Union Planning Commission sanctioned Rs 15 crores with the objectives of power generation, providing irrigation as well as water for domestic consumption.
With the project lying dormant for decades, its cost multiplied to Rs 381.29 crores in 2009 .
Although it has been claimed that the project has at last succeeded in providing irrigation to 10,000 hectares of fields in addition to providing 5 MGD (Million Gallons Per Day) of water to Churachandpur town, the power component was scrapped after the power house was completed by almost 80 per cent.
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For this power component, Irrigation and Flood Control Department gave contracts to G Bhumeshwar Sharma for civil works and M/S Panto Flow electro-mechanical works.
It was further discovered that the power component was planned and designed without studying its operational feasibility.
It has been also been learnt that the power component can be operated for only about 3/4 months in a year when there is excess water.
According to the present project design, power can be generated from Khuga Dam only during the months of July, August and September.
After diverting water for irrigation and domestic separately, the remaining water would be used for generating power as per the present project design.
But this volume of water (tail race) is released to river.
As such, this water cannot be used for any productive purpose.
A huge pipe laid underneath water for power generation is still drawing water even though there is no power generation.
The gate of the pipe could not be sealed till date even as the IFCD had called divers from Kolkata to seal the pipe.
With the gate still open, there is continuous flow of water though the pipe.
Nevertheless, IFCD has entrusted the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (MANIREDA) to work out feasibility of installing a power component at Khuga Project.