Tunga Reservoir gate chain link found weak; engineers, irrigation corporation officers inspect
Shivamogga: A potential safety concern has emerged at the Tunga Reservoir in Gajanur, Shivamogga district, after the chain link of Gate 8 was found to be on the verge of breaking. This issue, discovered during a routine inspection amid this year’s monsoon, has raised alarms about the structural integrity of the dam.
The weakened chain link was identified as a precautionary measure, leading authorities to decide against raising Gate 8 until the link can be repaired after the monsoon season. The discovery has sparked concerns, especially in light of the recent incident at the Tungabhadra Reservoir, where a gate failure resulted in significant flooding.
In response to media reports highlighting the issue, officers from the Karnataka Neeravari Nigama (Irrigation Corporation) conducted an inspection of the dam site. Engineers provided detailed information on the condition of the reservoir and the necessary steps being taken to ensure safety.
This year’s heavy rainfall in the Tunga River basin has led to a significant rise in water levels at the reservoir. At one point, authorities were forced to release up to 85,000 cusecs of water in a single day. While 21 of the 22 gates were opened to manage the water flow, Gate 8 remained closed due to the weakened chain link.
The Tunga Reservoir, which spans several thousand hectares and has a capacity of 3,500 TMC of water, plays a crucial role in supplying drinking water to Shivamogga city. It also supports lift irrigation for nearby agricultural fields. Given the reservoir’s importance, the safety of its infrastructure is a top priority for the district and state authorities.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
