Experts Inspect Cracks In Hirakud Dam Through ROV

08 December, Sambalpur

The much awaited inspection of cracks in the Hirakud dam began Monday with the arrival of a three member team from the department of water resources of the Central government.

The team comprising Alekh Vergeese, the head of the central soil and material research station (CSMRS), Birendra Pratap and Siba Charan-two senior scientists will review the condition in the dam which has become a matter of concern for the dam project .

The team will inspect the crack through a remote operated vehicle (ROV), chief engineer of Hirakud dam project Biswajit Mohanty said..

The remote driven vehicle entered into the dam reservoir today to check the cracks and the sophisticated camera fitted with it took the photographs. The team members went through the scanning copy of the Photographs from outside, Mohanty said.

It needs mention that the cracks were first noticed in the concrete dam portion in the year 1990. Three kinds of cracks- namely hairline cracks, fibre cracks and wide cracks were marked. And as precautionary measures, these cracks were repaired in the year 1999.

The purpose of visit of the current team is to study the condition of those repaired cracks and the new ones if any, the chief engineer of Hirakud Dam said.

After seeing the photographs from the robot and reviewing the condition, the team will suggest the requisite remedy, he added.

Earlier in the nineties, the cracks were inspected by experts. But today all the cracks were inspected by the robot through ultramodern technology and clear photographs sent by robot.

The process will continue for a month and thereafter a clear cut remedial measure will by taken up for repairing of the cracks, the executive engineer of the Hirakud Dam Project Yashobanta Parida said.