YSRCP, TDP start mudslinging on cause of floods in Chittoor

Tirupati: At a time when the pilgrim city is slowly limping back to normalcy after the havoc caused by the unprecedented rains last week, political parties started a mudslinging exercise on the cause of floods. The people have been still facing hardships as they could not come out of flood woes which haunted them severely and saying that they were not aware of any flood alerts due to which heavy damage was occurred. The unfortunate incident has already taken political colour with ruling and opposition parties have started utilising it to score over others politically.

Meanwhile the ruling YSRCP and TDP leaders were involved in making allegations and counter allegations. TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to the flood-affected Kadapa and Chittoor districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, called it a 'man-made disaster'. He alleged the government totally lacked seriousness of impact of floods for which the people have been paying the price.

He alleged the government has failed in sending timely alerts to people and committed a grave mistake. "The mismanagement of waterbodies has caused devastation to life and property in Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts. Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Air Bypass road and other areas were inundated due to encroachment of Thummalagunta tank. After coming back to power, our government will order an enquiry on all encroachments," he maintained.

While slamming the government, Naidu said that repair works to the Annamaiah and Pincha projects were of poor quality when they were damaged by the rains last year and for this reason, they have breached again now also.

However, Minister for Panchayat Raj Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy swiftly countered the attack of Naidu saying that the floods were not a result of man-made error. Even the Annamaiah project has received unexpected inflows above the capacity of project and resulted in heavy floods in Kadapa district.

Even the Jana Sena party has alleged that several tanks were encroached in Tirupati for real estate business which has created hurdles for free flow of water and entered the streets. Party political affairs committee Chairman Nadendla Manohar demanded a probe into the encroachments.