Declare rain fury as national calamity

CM's SOS to Centre

♦ Appeals to Modi to visit flood-hit areas in Telangana

♦ `5 crore to Khammam, Mahabubabad, Suryapet, and Bhadradri Kothagudem as immediate relief measures

♦ Special training for police forces on par with NDRF

♦ CM holds high-level review on heavy rains and floods

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the floods that played havoc in Telangana as a national calamity. The Chief Minister directed Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari to write a letter requesting the Prime Minister to visit the flood-hit areas which suffered loss of life, crops and damage to property.

The CM held a review meeting on floods and relief operations with senior officers at the Central Command Control office in Hyderabad on Monday morning. Revanth Reddy declared Rs 5 crore assistance to the flood-hit districts of Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahbubabad, and Suryapet.

The IMD briefed the CM that the state received heavy rains more than expected and was required to conduct a detailed study to ascertain the reasons for frequent heavy rains in the state. Earlier, the state witnessed very heavy rains only once in five years or 10 years. The IMD authorities cautioned the possibility of heavy rains in Adilabad, Nizamabad, and Nirmal districts till Tuesday.

Alerted by the weather forecast, the CM directed the Collectors, officers and staff of all departments to be on high alert. Specific instructions are issued to shift people residing in the low-lying areas to the relief camps immediately, if required.

The Chief Minister asked the Collectors to set up control rooms to receive complaints round-the-clock and monitor water levels in ponds, culverts, low-level causeways, and other places by deploying the officials of various departments.

Revanth Reddy directed the DGP to provide training to one-thirds of the 8 battalions of the young police force on the lines of NDRF.

The Chief Minister asked the officials about the emergency services by the NDRF during heavy rains and floods.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that the deployment of NDRF forces will be done based on the indent and it will also consume time. In a quick response, the Chief Minister ordered to provide training to the young police of the battalions on the lines of NDRF.

When the officials brought the shortage of equipment to the notice, the CM asked the authorities to purchase them though expensive. Officials informed that such teams have already been formed in Odisha and Gujarat.

The Chief Minister suggested that the procedures should be studied and provided training with the experienced officers. He further said that a manual should be prepared and rehearsals should be conducted with the trained staff before every season.