Relief for flood-hit areas soon: CM

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR, AUG. 25. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said that the State Government will ask for Central assistance towards flood relief. A detailed report of estimated losses would be submitted to the Union Government after eliciting information from all districts. Immediate relief to all the flood-affected areas will be announced in a day or two.

Mr. Naidu visited the flood-ravaged banks of Karempudi village where 10 persons were killed following the collapse of a lodge on Friday. Later addressing a press conference, Mr. Naidu said that the State was faced with dearth of funds. Asked whether he could seek assistance from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF), the Chief Minister said that the State had already utilised its share of CRF meant for this year also. ``We have spent Rs. 388 crores last year towards drought relief under non-plan expenditure. The CRF assistance meant for this year was also utilised last year. This is only the beginning of the rainy season. We have to wait till November. Rain has wreaked havoc with the State's economy,'' he said.

Mr. Naidu said that the State had not been able to reap benefit from Central funds. The distribution of funds either under the CRF or under any head was irrational. The State lost a huge sum under EFC. The sharing of funds under CRF was totally incoherent. ``Still, we will ask central assistance to recoup the agricultural and other losses,'' he asserted. Hyderabad had never witnessed such a devastating flood. The Fever Hospital road was marooned. Several roads suffered breaches in the city. All the roads in Nandyal were washed away in the flash floods. The agricultural losses alone were put at Rs. 25 crores in Guntur district. ``As if to add to our woes, the cyclone has hit the fund-starved State,'' said Mr. Naidu.

Several contour trenches were dug during the ``Neeru-Meeru'' programme. The flash floods filled the tanks and the trenches resulted in their breaches at many places. Of course, ground water table got recharged to a considerable extent. As much as two lakh cusecs of inflows were recorded in the Pennar. If Rs. 70 crores could be spent and land acquisition could be done, 70 tmc feet of water could be preserved there.

The Singur reservoir and Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) were full. ``We are left with no other option but to let the water go into the Godavari. We are unable to conserve it. Osman Sagar could have received waters to its full level, while the inflows into Himayat Sagar are also quite encouraging. Though there were heavy rains and flash floods in Guntur and Kurnool districts, the catchment area of the Krishna has not received ample water. The Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam reservoirs have to get inflows,'' said Mr. Naidu.

The State Government would announce the immediate relief in a couple of days after assessing the total loss in the State. The losses to the agriculture sector were also being assessed. Efforts would be made to save as much crop as possible by using the necessary inputs like pesticides and fertilizers. Farmers whose fields were affected would be given training in agricultural market yards as to how best they could save their crops.

The National Highway No. 5 also suffered a major breach across Ogeru near Chilakaluripet and the road got cut at several places. So also, the internal roads suffered damage.

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Section  : Southern States
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