Ankudru Vented Dam ready in record time: What will be the follow up...?

Report by Dr. Eugene D’Souza
Pics by Anil, Ivan and Eugene
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 10 July 2010: As periodically mentioned by the contractor Mr. Vijayananda Shetty of Kundapur and Mr. Gerald Fernandes, the chief force behind the project, the multi-purpose  Ankudru vented dam has been completed  in record time by 10th June 2010,  just before the monsoon set in. Presently, people from Padubelle and Moodubelle can cross the river as the water flows below the top surface (bridge) through the vents. 

The vented dam at Ankudru is quite an important multi-functional project. The dam has been built under the auspices of the Karnataka Government’s Minor Irrigation Department. The foundation stone of the project was laid on 6th February 2010 by Mr. D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha Constituency in the presence of Mr. Lalaji R. Mendon, MLA from the Kaup Constituency, Mr. Gerald Fernandes, President of the Social Justice Committee, Udupi Zilla Panchayat, Mr. Shashidhar Wagle, the then President of the Belle Grama Panchayat and other dignitaries as well as villagers from Moodubelle as well as Padubelle.

The construction of the vented dam across the river had been a laborious task. First of all the water from the site of the dam had to be emptied and the base had to be made dry prior to the commencement of the construction work of the vented dam. With this view, both sides of the proposed site of the dam were blocked by dumping soil across the river that prevented the flow of water. This work started from 26th February 2010 and the water from the blocked portion was emptied by using powerful pumps from 11th March 2010.

As the river bed became dry a new problem cropped up in the form of a huge rock projecting from the river bed which had to be broken and cleared for laying the foundation of the dam. The site for the dam was inspected by the Superintendent Engineer of Mysore Circle, Mr. Ranganathan on 26th March 2010. The construction of work  of the vented dam started from 29th March 2010. The contractor of the project, Mr. Vijayananda Shetty being determined to complete the project before the start of the monsoon carried on the work without break. However, due to the accidental death of a labourer working on the project due to drowning, the work was delayed for few days. 

 In spite of this setback, the work of the dam continued briskly and by 10th June 2010 the final railings of the top ‘bridge’ were fixed and the entire project was completed in record time of 105 days since the actual construction of the vented dam had started on 29th March 2010. According to Mr. Vijayananda Shetty, the contractor of the project, the Minor Irrigation Department had stipulated March 2011 as the period by which the dam would have to be completed. However, the project was completed by 10th June 2010, nearly nine months in advance of the period stipulated by the Minor Irrigation Department.  

The cost of the Ankudru vented dam is Rs.81 lakhs. The dam is 42 metres in length and 4 metres in height. It has the top surface of 2.75 metres width that would enable small vehicles such as cars and rickshaws to pass over it. There are 17 vents each with a width of 2 metres. This  dam has the holding capacity of over one million cubic metres of water that would extend to over 6 kilometres that can be used to irrigate vast amount of land in Belle, Kattingeri and Shirva villages.

The shed to store the wooden planks to be used to block water during the lean period from around October is ready. The real utility of the vented dam will be felt during the later part of the year when the vents would be blocked. This multi-purpose  dam would not only provide water for irrigation purpose, but also will augment drinking water facilities as it would enable to raise the water level in the wells that are located in proximity of the river. Besides these advantages, the ‘bridge’ would enable the people and small vehicles to cross over the ‘bridge’ that would link Moodubelle and Padubelle. 

Since the completion of the construction of the vented dam, it has become a centre of attraction for people from both sides of the river. People come to this dam, sometimes with children to spend the evening walking across the ’bridge’ and standing at the centre of it enjoying the beauty of the surrounding greenery and watching the rain water flowing through the vents. 

Mr. Gerald Fernandes, the member of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat and the President of the Social Justice Committee has played an important role in the construction of the Ankudru vented dam. He was instrumental in getting sanction to the dam and while it was being constructed he had been supervising the work in order to maintain the quality and speed of the work. Mr. Gerald Fernandes said that on the Moodubelle side of the river, the Nayak family close to the dam site had fully cooperated with the project by surrendering considerable amount of  land for the approach road as well as for the construction of the dam. 

Once the Ankudru vented dam is ready, the next question is that of the approach road so that the people from both parts of Belle would be able to use the dam ‘bridge’ for transport and communication.  The problem of the link road has been greater in Padubelle region. There was a rough road up to the residence of Mr. John Sequeira. From there the road had to be extended up to the vented dam in order to complete the link. According to Mr. John Sequeira, soon after the project of the vented dam was approved and tender was issued, Mr. Gerald Fernandes approached some of the families in Padubelle through whose land the road has to pass through and suggested that the road would have to be constructed with their cooperation as they might have to surrender some part of their land including parts of paddy fields. Besides, there was a need  of the approach road to the residences of some of the families. According to Mr. John Sequeira, some of the youngsters of Padubelle including William, Alwyn, Anil and Prakash convinced their family members to agree for surrendering part of their land including paddy fields so that the road till the river bank could be constructed. Thus, the rough road was extended up to the river cutting across the barren land as well as paddy fields.

Though the Ankudru vented dam has been completed, the road is still patchy and not yet complete. On the Padubelle side there is a need of five culverts in order to allow the rain water and pump water for irrigation to pass through. The work of completing the road and providing the culverts has to be done in the near future. With the changeover of the administration in the Belle Grama Panchayat following this year’s Panchayat elections, the responsibility of completing the work of the road on both sides of the vented dam, especially on the Padubelle (Pamboor) side lay with the new administration. While the former administration of the Panchayat can take credit for the completion of the Ankudru vented dam in record time, it is expected by the people of both Moodubelle and Padubelle that it would cooperate with the new administration in completing the connecting roads on both sides of the vented dam so that the project would be complete in every sense of the term. If this is achieved, the project   would become an example of collective responsibility of the elected members of the Panchayat irrespective of their party affiliation so that the people would appreciate the work of their elected representatives. It is hoped that the new administration will take up the construction of the roads and culverts in right earnest and complete the project in time. 

Though the Ankudru vented dam has been completed within a record time, there is no sign of its inauguration so far. The foundation stone for the dam was laid with a grand ceremony which was attended by Mr. D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha Constituency, Mr. Lalaji R. Mendon, MLA from the Kaup Constituency and other local dignitaries. It is hoped that the Ankudru vented dam would be officially inaugurated soon so that the people of the Belle Grama Panchayat would know about one of the significant and important projects that has been accomplished with determination and good intention in a record time.