Andhra Pradesh urges immediate release of funds

Tirupati: The state government sought immediate release of funds by the Central government to take up relief works in the rain-affected Chittoor, Anantapur, Kadapa and Nellore districts. Principal secretary of revenue and disaster management V Usha Rani explained the flood damage in the four districts through a powerpoint presentation to the Inter-ministerial Central team here on Saturday.

She explained to the Central team that the four districts experienced unprecedented losses due to the heavy rains. Going into details, she recalled that Peddamandyam of Chittoor district reported more than 200 mm rainfall on November 19 while Nalla Cheruvu of Anantapur district experienced 193 mm and 140.3 mm in Nellore. Such a huge rainfall was never seen before.

The heavy rains have damaged roads and tanks in the four districts. Several ancient tanks dug during Sri Krishnadevarayulu's rule and the link canals have been damaged severely. With the breach to Annamayya tank in Kadapa district several villages were submerged and 20 people have lost their lives. The Rayalaseema area had never seen such horrible scenes.

Altogether, 1,990 villages in 199 mandals of these four districts experienced huge losses and 211 villages, 23 towns and 2.31 lakh people were subjected to severe hardships due to flood waters and 44 people are dead.

Usha Rani added that 15 people have been missing in flood waters and 5,740 houses have also been damaged. As 98,514 houses were submerged in the four districts, official machinery shifted the people to relief centres.

She thanked the Central government for sending the team immediately after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy sent a request for that and arranging two helicopters to undertake relief works. She lauded the services of district collectors and other official machinery during the floods.

Usha Rani recalled that Chittoor district collector M Hari Narayanan had camped at Rayala Cheruvu itself and prevented human loss.

The state government has provided a financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to each flood-affected family and distributed rice and essential commodities. It also handed over an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of those deceased in floods. It has spent Rs 320 lakh for relief works and conducted relief camps and medical camps.

The principal secretary said that the agriculture department faced a huge crop loss in 2.86 lakh hectare out of which 75 per cent is paddy. She listed the department-wise losses in the four districts and Godavari districts as well and sought the release of special funds from the Central government.

The Central team members Kunal Satyardhi, Abhey Kumar, Dr K Manoharan, Srinivasu Bairi, Sivani Sarma and others said that they will visit the flood affected areas till Sunday and submit a report to the Central government. They sought a comprehensive report from the state government as well.

State government officials Kanna Babu, Arun Kumar, collector M Hari Narayanan, Tirupati Municipal Corporation commissioner P S Girisha and others were also present.