Timely steps helped prevent loss of lives, says Ambati
Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu addressing the media in Vijayawada on Monday
Vijayawada: Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu said the government was taking measures to provide rehabilitation to the families displaced due to Godavari floods and it has successfully prevented the loss of lives despite heavy floods in the second week of July.
He said the government was on high alert and worked with dedication to check the loss of lives and provide shelter to the flood-affected people. Speaking to the media at the irrigation office here on Monday, the Minister said for the first time in the last 36 years, the State got the highest floods. He said six District Collectors, Joint Collectors and six superintendents of police have monitored the flood situation.
He said due to reorganisation of districts, more officials have monitored the flood situation and taken measures to shift the people to safer places. He said the district Ministers and in-charge Ministers visited the flood-hit areas and monitored the relief and rescue operations. He alleged that one section of media was blaming the government stating that it has failed to provide amenities to the flood-affected people. Referring to Polavaram cofferdam, he said the Polavaram reservoir had received 27 lakh cusecs of water and it would have been washed away if the dam received 29 lakh cusecs of floodwater.
He alleged that the previous TDP government was responsible for the damage caused to diaphragm wall. He said the former Irrigation Minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao told in the Assembly that the Polavaram project would be completed by 2018, but has failed to do it.
He said that he was ready for a debate with the TDP leaders on Polavaram project works. He said the government was increasing the height of the Polavaram cofferdam to check untoward incident. He said Godavari floodwater reached 71.2 feet at Bhadrachalam and the town was submerged. He said the Andhra Pradesh government was on high alert and took measures to prevent loss of lives in spite of getting 26 lakh cusecs of floodwater.