Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar was surprised to note that the Mandal Dam built in 1993 in Jharkhand could not be made functional even after 22 years of its construction because its sluice gate was not set up. A sluice is a water channel controlled at its head by a gate.
He reportedly said in Palamu, “I have witnessed many surprises but not like this (Mandal Dam). It was completed in 1993 but could not be made functional for 22 years because the sluice was not set up.”
The Minister, who inspected the dam, said he would take action to make the Mandal Dam functional soon.
He said there were about 40 such dams, which were completed but remained non-functional in various parts of the country including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
