The seismometer, which helps measure the magnitude of an earthquake, and several other key instruments installed at the Jayakwadi dam in Aurangabad district have stopped functioning properly, an official said on Sunday.
Retired staff of the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI), who have expertise in repairing these devices, are being roped in to get them fixed.
“The seismometer was installed at the Jayakwadi dam after the devastating earthquake in Killari in Latur district in 1993. This instrument is powerful as it has a range of 10,000 km. In the past, it has recorded the epicentres of earthquakes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Nepal,” executive engineer Rajendra Kale said.
“But this and other instruments, like the piezometer, earth pressure cell and slope meter, have been out order for the last two years. Every instrument is important and we are trying to get them repaired soon or get new ones as early as possible,” he said. “We hope to get [the seismometer] repaired within a week. If the repair work does not yield positive results then we will seek permission to purchase a new one,” Mr. Kale said.
