The Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir in Anantapur district, isn’t utilised to its full capability as a consequence of repairs to be taken up on the dam.
| Photograph Credit score: RAMESH SUSARLA

The Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir (PABR) dam in Anantapur district has been chosen for evaluation for its health to be improved and rehabilitated beneath the externally-funded Central authorities scheme, Dam Rehabilitation and Enchancment Venture (DRIP II Part), together with Somasila Venture, Tamileru in West Godavari, and Rollapadu in Prakasam district.

A particular group of specialists on dam security will go to the PABR and three different tasks within the third week of December to evaluate the health/necessity of these dams to be included within the mission. 

Constructed in 1994, the PABR with its authentic capability of 11 tmcft, is getting used solely as much as 5 tmcft as a consequence of varied components like the security of the dam as a consequence of small leakages observed above the present degree most storage, which wants geo-membrane coating and acquisition of further 1400 acres for full capability utilisation of the Tungabhadra water coming by the Excessive-Stage Predominant Canal (HLMC).

Along with the dam, the 60-year-old TB-HLMC canal additionally must be modernised for the PABR to obtain adequate water in time. Modernisation works have been stopped since 2017 and the YSR Congress Social gathering Authorities has put a ban on reviving the works on completion of the mission. Based mostly on the success of the First Part of DRIP, the Ministry of Jal Shakti initiated DRIP Part II and III in 19 States, and three Central Businesses are on board. 

The finances outlay is ₹10,211 crore (Part II: ₹5107 crore; Part III: ₹5,104 crore) with rehabilitation provision of 736 dams. The scheme is of 10 years length, to be applied in two phases, every of six-year length with two years overlapping. The Scheme is efficient October 12, final yr. The Part II of the Scheme is being co-financed by two multi-lateral funding businesses — he World Financial institution and Asian Infrastructure Funding Financial institution (AIIB), with funding of US$ 250 million every. The mortgage signing ceremony was held on August 4, final yr, and Might 12, 2022, respectively.