Aurangabad: Despite recommendations from the central and the state security agencies, the state government has failed to provide adequate security apparatus for Jayakwadi major irrigation project. The dam, which is a lifeline to parts of Marathwada, was recommended to have deployment of armed security guards as well as declaration of prohibited area around its periphery to thwart any act of sabotage.Incharge of Jayakwadi major irrigation project A H Chavan on Saturday said that no desired measures were in place despite necessary follow-ups with authorities concerned. “At our end, we have left no stone unturned in pursuing the demand with the authorities. We hope necessary that measures are put in place before the end of current monsoon,” he said.A joint team of Aurangabad rural police, irrigation department, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), District Special Branch (DSB) and State Intelligence Department (SID) among a few other agencies had conducted a security audit of Jayakwadi dam during January last year. The safety exercise had recommended deployment of 82 armed guards, including four officers, to ensure no untoward incident takes place involving the dam.Much before that, a separate team of senior officials from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had visited the dam for the purpose of security check on May 29, 2012. The CISF team had recommended declaring 9.4-km area around the dam as prohibited. Incidentally, the visit had taken place close on the heels of an official letter, dated: August 10, 2011, shot of by the State Intelligence Department raising concerns over dam security.Ironically, none of these recommendations have been implemented, exposing Nathsagar, the dam reservoir and its premise, to possible breach in safety.Jayakwadi dam, which supplies water to Aurangabad and parts of Marathwada, was filled to cent percent designed storage twice in past two consecutive years, making a strong case for providing adequate security apparatus for the dam. Commissioned in 1976, Jayakwadi dam has a designed storage capacity of 102.68 TMC, including 26 TMC of dead storage.Senior Water Resources Department (WRD) authorities said the demand for security for Jayakwadi is being taken up with the state government through Aurangabad district administration. Aurangabad district collector Uday Chaudhari could not be reached for comments.Water activist Abhijit Dhanorkar said, “The government must act in keeping with the recommendations of safety audit. The declaration of prohibited zone around Jayakwadi could trigger protests from locals and therefore seems a contentious demand. However, the government can easily act on recommendation of providing armed security guards,” he said.

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