Gandhinagar: Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) has rubbished foreign funded left leaning NGO operator Medha Patkar’s allegation about seepage and safety of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam, and has demanded an apology for making baseless allegations.

RM Patel, chief engineer SSNNL (Dam) in a statement said: “Medha Patkar’s recent statement on seepage through Sardar Sarovar Dam has no significance and is a futile attempt to mislead.” Patel added, “Seepage through concrete is a usual phenomenon for any dam and accordingly the maintenance of dams is done. Sardar Sarovar Dam has been storing water for a long period and any man-made concrete structure requires maintenance and repair at the end of such a long period. The seepage is well within the permissible limits and normal maintenance of the same has been taken up in time by the dam authorities according to recommendations of the DSRP (Dam Safety Review Panel (DSRP) and no endangerment to safety has ever been noticed. Actually, the DSRP has advised lowering of the reservoir level for maintenance of dam surface from upstream side, which is a normal practice in any such dam. DSRP has been regularly monitoring the health of the dam and there is no need to make a fuss of it.” The chief engineer said, “The Sardar Sarovar Dam has been last inspected on 24th to26th July 2021 by DSRP and it has been found “primarily safe” ie. in category II as per the latest dam safety standards promulgated by the Central Water Commission. “Sardar Sarovar Dam has been under constant criticism by some lobbies but the fact is that the dam has proven the life line of Gujarat and in the time of crisis due to lean monsoon like this year, survival of the people of the state depend solely of Narmada water”.