IMD WARNING: Encroachments pose flood threat in Nellore city

Nellore: Residents of Nellore are in grip of fear as they received a warning from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) that a low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal which is likely to turn into a deep depression close to north Tamil Nadu. It may be recalled that heavy to very heavy rains lashed the district a week ago and many low-lying areas witnessed waterlogging and other issues. According to sources, Nellore has no proper disaster management plan to face such vagaries of weather during the northeast monsoon.

The 2015 flashfloods have left the worst experience for the citizens and the civic body seems to have not learnt lessons from it. Though some canals desilted, many irrigation canals that cross the city limits are under sheer negligence and fail to remove water from the city areas causing floods in low-lying areas in case of torrential rains. Rain has been battering the district every couple of years and still, no action has been taken to clear encroachments on the irrigation canals, thanks to the politicos who play a typical double role in the opposition and in power.

Flash floods in Nellore city consequent to torrential rains in November 2015 have provided a calamity benchmark for taking immediate measures to save the lives of people living in slums. Even after 7 years, the same situation prevailed sans no action by the government effectively. Experts who visited the city after the situation seven years ago recommended immediate clearance of irrigation canals that carry floodwater by removing encroachments. Canal encroachments were rampant in city limits as there was no stringent action from the civic

authorities. Encroachers were henchmen of political parties who occupied many canals and water passage systems constructing shops, shopping complexes, liquor shops, hotels and other structures leaving the woes to fate of city population.

13 irrigation canals in the city limits were being used as outlets for floodwaters in the olden days. Uyyalakalava, Jaffar Saheb Kalava, Sarvepalli Kalava and many others were being used as a natural waste drainage system and now they are disappeared with infringements by some politicos and their followers. The canals spread between 20 and 30 feet used to carry away stormwater from the city have been reduced to 3 to 5 feet from their original size because of illegal constructions.

The encroachment removal drives being conducted by the civic officials have been an eye wash activity against the structures on government lands and they are simply confined to desilting activity every year. A henchman of a corporator constructed a wine shop and a minibar in the trunk road area and there were many violations at Nartaki Centre where Uyyalakalava existed.

Parameswara Nagar, Sivagiri Colony, Khuddus Nagar, Mansoor Nagar, Maheswari Nagar and others are at significant risk if floodwater enters the colonies. The situation arises when excess water is released from the Nellore tank due to heavy inflows.

It contributes to the water logging in many parts of city which happened in 2015 and it continues in future too if measures are not taken sincerely. The rehab measures have seen political tussle and consequently, the encroachments are active even now, lament city population.