Strengthening of Penna bunds shortly: Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu

Nellore: District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu informed that strengthening of bund will be completed shortly along the River Penna at vulnerable places for preventing flooding. He visited the places where erosion occurred due to the recent floodwater at Pallipadu village in Indukurpet mandal on Tuesday and interacted with the villagers.

He said they are devising a plan to strengthen the bunds either side of the river for averting any disastrous situation during natural calamities. He also said that officials were collecting data of farmers whose crops were damaged due to the torrential rains and are going to deposit the compensation to their bank accounts directly.

The Collector said that standing crops were damaged in 14,000 hectares during recent heavy rains/floods and 11,000 hectares was affected because of the deposition of sand. He said steps were being taken to offer Rs 12,500 per hectare under National Rural Employment Generation Scheme for clearing the sand stocks.

He said they have arranged 30,000 quintals of seed for distribution to the flood-affected farmers with 80 per cent subsidy to raise crops in place of damaged crops. He also informed that they had deposited Rs 95,000 in the accounts of 261 victims whose pucca houses were damaged during the floods.

Similarly, Rs 4,100 has been transferred into the accounts of people whose houses damaged partially. Chakradhar Babu said those who had not received the compensation can apply for the assistance within next two days. He said Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy offered Rs 50 lakh for relief operations. The Collector said they would provide Rs 15,000 for victims from the ST community to build houses. Nellore RDO Hussain Saheb, Indukurpeta tahsildar Padmavati and special officer Samdani Basha were present.