Somireddy blames YSRCP leaders’ encroachments for Budameru floods

Nellore : Stating that indiscriminate encroachments led to the inundation of several areas in Vijayawada city, senior TDP leader and Sarvepalli MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said that the government has decided to launch ‘Operation Budameru’ very soon.

Addressing a press conference at TDP district office here on Wednesday, the TDP leader said that people of Vijayawada had suffered huge losses, including lives, due to encouragements in Budameru drain by YSRCP leaders during the party’s five-year rule.

The TDP leader said that after careful study of flash floods issue, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is determined to conduct Operation Budameru in the interest of preventing such tragedy in future.

Stating that the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s tireless efforts in dealing with Budameru flood situation were appreciated by the entire the country as role model, the MLA lambasted the YSRCP for levelling baseless allegations with regard to floods and relief unable to digest this.

He said that this the first time TDP government announced financial aid to the flood victims in a big way which was never seen in the history of Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP leader recalled that in 2019, TDP government had called tenders for increasing the inflow capacity of Yeleru canal from 10,000 cusecs to 70,000 cusecs with an estimated cost of Rs 290 crores, but unfortunately, YSRCP later government failed to complete the project which was the reason for floods in Godavari district that resulted in huge crop losses.

Chandramohan Reddy said it was proposed to provide water for agriculture operations to 8.50 lakh acre for first crop following availability of a total 80 tmc ft water in both Somasila and Kandaleru reservoirs. He hoped that farmer would have sufficient water for second crop also as district might get heavy rains in coming October and November months.

Finding fault with the mining officials for allowing Rs 332 crore worth of sand to be stolen in 14 sand reaches for the last two years, Chandramohan Reddy appealed to the collector to intervene in the matter to dig out facts related to illegal mining of sand and quartz and register cases against real culprits involved in the mega scam. The MLA warned that otherwise he will launch another agitation.