CM puts flood loss in districts at Rs. 600 cr.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 26. The Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has put the total loss suffered by the State in the floods at Rs 600-700 crores, excluding that of Hyderabad, and has come out with the agriculture content of the relief package meant for farmers in the 15 affected districts.

Making a suo motu statement on the situation in the Assembly on Saturday, Mr Naidu said the figure might go up as enumeration was still on, while the loss in Hyderabad was being assessed separately. The Prime Minister, after being briefed about the gravity of the situation, had promised to take a decision on Central assistance after receipt of final reports.

The compensation for the crops lost announced by him would allow the benefit to a maximum of two hectares in each case and if the damage was found beyond 50 per cent. It would be Rs 700 per hectare for jowar, bajra, ragi, maize etc; Rs 1,000 per ha for paddy, groundnut, redgram, soyabean, etc and; Rs 1,250 per ha for commercial crops like cotton, sugarcane, turmeric, banana, onion, vegetables, flowers, etc. If the damage was more than 90 per cent, horticutlure items would get Rs 1,250 per ha and orchards like mango, citrus, sapota, etc, Rs 2,500 per ha if the damage was more than 50 per cent. The payment would be Rs 150 per tree damaged for coconut gardens, Rs 50 per cent for betel leave farms, Rs 2,500 per ha for sandcast fields. Apart from the usual benefits, weavers would also get Rs 500 for yarn damaged. A damaged shop would get Rs 1,000.

The Chief Minister said families reporting deaths would get Rs 50,000 from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, in addition to the Rs 1-lakh ex-gratia being given by the State Government.

The regular relief -- 20 kg rice, five litres of kerosene, Rs 500 for clothes and utentils -- would be extended to all affected families, while the compensation for crop loss house damage -- Rs 1,000 for fully collapsed house and Rs 500 for partial damage -- would be allowed on completion of enumeration. The Chief Minister said a massive relief operation was grounded in the affected districts and where necessary, extra government staff was deployed after bringing them from the unaffected districts like Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Chittoor. For Hyderabad where the damage was extensive, 114 relief teams were brought this morning, including some from Visakhapatnam and Chittoor by flights. About 200 vehicles were requisitioned from outside and 3,000 labourers from Mahabubnagar to clear the silt clogging the roads in the Twin Cities.

Mr. Naidu became emotional while recalling the agonising experience of people caught in flash floods and the heroic efforts made by the Government and the army which saved nearly 150 such stranded persons. The most heart-rending incident was that of the mother near Cuddapah who jumped into the swollen stream from a plastic bucket hung from the rescuing helicopter seeing her two children slipping from the bucket. He said his heart went out for the victims. He was disappointed that the weather forecast made available to the Government did not specify the exact quantum of rainfall that a particular place would receive on a particular day, say August 23 when the downpour occurred.

The Chief Minister gave an update of the loss, putting the toll at 131 apart from four "unconfirmed deaths" one each in Nizamabad, Vizianagaram, Karimnagar and West Godavari. In all, 1.5 lakh families were affected in the 15 districts. A total of 35,667 houses were damaged, 8,551 of them fully, while 1,578 medium irrigation and panchayat raj tanks suffered breaches. While 5,368 head of cattle perished and 2,389 roads belonging to Panchayat Raj, Roads and Buildings and National Highways were damaged over a distance of 7,435 km.

On the crop loss, he stated that 1.77 lakh ha of paddy and other crops were damaged but 40,000 quintals of seed was made ready for distribution to farmers for raising fresh crops.

Giving the status picture about the damage caused to the electricity sector, he said 902 power transformers, 787 distribution transformers, 28 sub-stations and 225 33-KV lines and 600 11-KV lines were damaged.

The Chief Minister said restoration and rehabilitation work was in full swing. He informed the House that the stretch of the Calcutta-Chennai national highway which breached at Chilakaluripet, was thrown open to traffic early this morning.

The breaches to the KC Canal which took place at 12 points, were being filled on a war-footing. A record of 114 doctors were drafted for city to prevent outbreak of diseases.

The Chief Minister described the situation as ``frightening'' as another ``low pressure area'' was hovering close to the State.

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