CM Jagan promises new houses for flood-hit

Kadapa: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday visited the devastated villages in his native Kadapa district and consoled the victims.

The Chief Minister made a field visit to Pulapattur and Mandapalli villages in the Rajampet constituency that bore the brunt of the deluge and inspected the trail of destruction. In Kadapa district, 25 people had died and about 10 had gone missing in the flash- floods caused by the breach of Annamayya project on the intervening night of November 18-19. Hundreds of houses in more than 10 villages along the course of river Cheyyeru were reduced to rubble as more than two lakh cusecs of floodwater inundated them.

The Chief Minister promised to get new houses built on five cents of land each for those who lost their shelter in the deluge. He also promised a job on outsourcing basis to a family member of each of the deceased. As women poured out their woes, Jagan assured them the government would bear one year's interest on the loans obtained by members of women self-help groups.

"The very heavy rains caused widespread damage on an unprecedented scale but the official machinery did an exemplary job to mitigate the victims' woes. The government will help you by all means," Jagan said.

The Chief Minister visited the Annamayya project site and reviewed the situation with Kadapa district Collector Vijaya Rama Raju and other officials. He directed the authorities to take steps to strengthen the project and take required steps to ensure such destruction does not recur.

Later, the Chief Minister reached Renigunta and visited the ST Colony at Vedallacheruvu to take stock of the situation. The Chief Minister would stay in Tirupati overnight and visit the flood-ravaged areas in the temple town before proceeding to neighbouring SPS Nellore district, which also witnessed large-scale destruction.