'Shift low-lying people in Tungabhadra Dam to safer places'

Kurnool: District Collector P Koteshwara Rao said that the Tungabhadra Dam is receiving huge inflows due to incessant rains in upper riparian areas. The dam authorities are releasing the floodwaters downstream. The Tungabhadra River is brimming with floodwaters and the riverbank villages may face threat of floods.

He ordered the Revenue Divisional Officers (RDOs), Tahsildars and Mandal Parishad Development Officers (MPDOs) to be alert to tackle the situation. He convened a video conference with the mandal officials from the video conference hall on Saturday.

Speaking to the officials, the Collector said the authorities of Tungabhadra dam were releasing 40,000 cusecs of floodwater downstream. The outflow may increase to one lakh cusecs. In view of the flood threat, he directed the officials to be alert on the riverbank villages and shift them to safer places. He directed the Village Revenue Officials (VROs) to alert the villages. The officials should take precautionary measures and see that no unfortunate incident takes place.

He said the MPDOs should order the Panchayat Secretaries to take steps on sanitation in the villages. The shiva, bhavani and ayyappa devotees were advised not to enter the river for taking holy dips. The officials concerned have to take steps to shift the people to relief camps where there is flood threat. The Tahsildars, MPDOs, EORD and Panchayat Secretaries have to stay headquarters and alert the riverbank villagers.

The collector further said that the officials of revenue, police, Transco and others need to be alert round the clock. He also held a video conference with the Tahsildars and MPDOs of Kosigi, Kowthalam, Peddakadabur, C Belagal, Mantralayam, Guduru, Kotapalle, Kurnool urban and rural mandals and enquired the situation.