People at Itukalakota live in fear of floods

Eluru: The villagers of Itukalakota in Polavaram rural mandal are still facing the flood threat as the rains continued in Polavaram mandal on Saturday also.
Itukalakota, which was submerged in the flash floods consecutively on Tuesday and Friday, is awaiting another flood.

The villagers are expressing fear over the flood situation following no response from the officials. About 200 families reside in the village. The villagers lost their utensils, ration cards and Aadhaar cards during the two-day flash floods.

The floods hit the village late on Friday night forcing the villagers to move to safer places in the upland areas. Most of the victims took shelter on the embankment of Polavaram Right Main Canal near the delivery point of Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS).

The village does not possess any outlets. Due to this, the flood water got stagnated in the village causing fear among its residents.

On Saturday morning, the villagers demanded that Collector K Bhaskar should visit their village as they have lost their valuables, ration cards and Aadhaar cards. Later during the day, Polavaram MLA Modiam Srinivasa Rao,visited the village and consoled the flood victims.

The victims said that about 30 to 35 families have been residing near the PRMC canal and at the entrance of the flooded waterway. Due to this, they have lost their valuables and were leaving in a constant fear.

The families demanded that the MLA should shift them to the upland area and provide pucca houses as they can’t live in the village with fear. The MLA assured that he will bring the issue to the notice of the higher officials and government.

Meanwhile, ITDA project officer Harindra Prasad visited Itukalakota in the evening of Saturday. He inspected the flood-affected houses and interacted with the villagers. T

The villagers said that due to the floods to Vinjaram Cheruvu and Venkatareddygudem Cheruvu, their village got submerged in rain water. The flood waters entered Sunnalagandi and Itukala Kota villages causing panic among the people. They said that the flood water could not flow into the PRMC as the officials constructed concrete bund at the canal.

They have arranged four pipes at the canal which was not sufficient to take the flood water to the PRMC. Village sarpanch Tellam Suryachandra Rao said that the Vinjaram Cheruvu flood waters submerged the village and the locals were leaving in a state of fear.

MPTC Sunnam Gangajalam said that 30 to 35 families residing near the PRMC were suffering a lot with inundation and they were appealing to authorities to shift them to safer places. The Project Officer has assured that he will bring the issue to the notice of the higher officials.