Telangana powerhouse fire: Red flags raised over dam’s poor upkeep, funds crunch in 2 states

The fire in the underground hydroelectric power station on the left bank of the Srisailam dam came after multiple red flags were raised about the poor maintenance of accompanying structures, including the structural integrity of the dam itself, on which the plant is built.

A deepening plunge pool — created by erosion of the natural river bed downstream of the dam due to heavy spillage of flood waters — at a distance of about 100 metres from the spillway has been flagged as a potential threat to the dam’s long-term safety, even as the cash-strapped state power utilities of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have done little over the years to address safety issues.