Andhra Pradesh government asks Collectors to be on high alert

Vijayawada (NTR District): There is a threat of floods to rivers Godavari and Krishna again due to heavy rains in upstream areas, cautioned Minister for Water Resources Ambati Rambabu here on Wednesday.

He said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to be on the alert and appealed to people downstream to be cautious. Speaking to mediapersons here, the Minister said that the State government alerted the District Collectors to keep a vigil as water has been released from the Srisailam reservoir and water levels are also going up in River Godavari.

Referring to Polavaram project, the Minister said the Polavaram Project Authority directed the state government to complete lower cofferdam works by July 31 but the works could not be completed as Godavari river received early floods in July which caused interruption to lower cofferdam works.

Stating that the opposition was spreading false propaganda on Polavaram works, he said the construction of diaphragm wall by the previous government before the completion of upper and lower cofferdams was a historical blunder.

The Minister said that the State government will act in coordination with the Polavaram Project Authority, Central Water Commission and Central Water Resources department to complete the project.