Drains overflow due to downpour

Nellore: Normal life thrown out of gear in Nellore city with sudden downpour on Wednesday. The city recorded around 11 cm rainfall within 3 to 4 hours. The downpour situation kept the civic officials on toes as they have to run for resolving several issues. Underbridges at Ramalingapuram and Atmakur Bus Stand filled with floodwater to the brim and buses stuck in floodwater has caused severe difficulties to the city population.

Flooding of underbridges has been continuing for more than 2 to 3 decades, still politicos chant Smart City mantra failing to take precautionary measures to bail out denizens from such horrendous situation.

The city witnessed dreadful situation during flash floods in November 2015 due to torrential rains in three spells for more than 20 days where canals overflowed, and many colonies submerged in water. But, still the issue of vacating encroachers on the city canals has been delayed due to political reasons. The ongoing road works, canal repairs and others created chaotic situation on Wednesday due to heavy downpour.

Further, many important places in the city witness such situation as soon as heavy rainfall occurs. Important junctions like Gandhi Statue, Madras bus stand, VRC Centre and many others witness pool of water and no precautions have been taken to prevent such instances.

Kavali in the district also received 10 cm of rainfall due to heavy rain. District population heaved a sigh of relief with the heavy rain and there were only intermittent drizzles last week.

Many mandals in the district have received 4-6 cm rainfall due to cyclonic trough in the Bay of Bengal. Brahmadevam in Muthukur mandal and Kondur in Vakadu mandal also received 11 cm of rainfall as they located close to the sea coast. Tallampadu, K Kandriga in Doravari Satram, Kodavaluru, Indukurpet and Gandavaram received around 7 cm rainfall. Other areas in all coastal mandals received around 3-4 cm of rainfall.

Rural MLA stages stir in drain

City MLA and YSRCP leader Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy immediately swung into action and staged a novel protest by standing in a pool of dirty water at Chanakyapuri in 30th division demanding construction of a bridge on a canal when local population voiced their difficulties. He demanded the irrigation officials to construct the bridge which was damaged.

Upset with irrigation officials for not taking up bridge works on Udumulollavagu in Chanakyapuri, he entered into an open drain and staged a protest for more than one hour.

Despite filth, stench and foul odour emanating from the open drain, he squatted in the filthy water till the officials expressed their willingness to construct the bridge. Sridhar Reddy withdrew his protest after getting an assurance from officials of the Irrigation Department.