FIELD VISIT TO FLOOD WATER PUMPING STATION, SANKHALI

The Final year Civil Engineering students of Don Bosco College of Engineering visited the Water Resources Department’s Flood water pumping station at Sankhali, Goa on 23^rd August 2019 along with Prof. Akshata A.S Kudchadker and Prof. B. R Anirudha.

On the site, Mr. Naresh Pokle, Engineer, Water Resources Department explained to the students that Sankhali town is situated on the banks of river Valvanti and Sankhali being a low lying area experiences floods every year. The main reason for floods is cloudburst in conjunction with high tides causing flood discharge of more than 1000 cumecs. In order to tackle the flood and its losses the Government of India formed a high level committee under the chairmanship of Commissioner of Secretary Water resources to study the causes of floods, drainage congestion and suggest remedies for flood management at Sankhali area. The flood management measures implemented by the committee to mitigate floods in the area are 870m long flood protection earthen wall constructed along the banks of river Valvanti , accumulation of flood water in Malvantwada nallah which is provided with mechanical gates to prevent flood water entering into Sankhali town and a pumping station to pump out the water from the nallah into river Valvanti. The pumps installed can pump at a capacity of 2200litres / sec.

Mr. Pokle also mentioned that at the site they have siren installed to warn people in case the water level in river Valvanti reaches danger level. A real time data display of water level in the river is displayed on the web of Water Resources Department. In case of emergency and power failures diesel generators are installed to facilitate pumping at the pumping station which is a 24 hours operational station. In all, 45 students visited the food pumping station.