Telangana CM conducts aerial survey of flood-hit districts

Hyderabad, Aug 28 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday conducted aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Peddapalli, Kamareddy and Medak district.

Accompanied by Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and state Congress president and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud, the Chief Minister also visited Sripada Yellampalli Project.

The Chief Minister was scheduled to land in Kamareddy to hold a review meeting on flood situation. However, the helicopter could not land there due to bad weather. He held the review meeting in Medak.

The helicopter landed at the helipad near Goliwada Pump House in Peddapalli district. He inspected the Sripada Yellampalli Reservoir Project at Anthargam.

He reviewed the flood inflows, current water storage levels, and the quantum of water being released downstream. He directed officials to ensure strict maintenance of the project and to take necessary steps to achieve full water storage by the end of the flood season.

The Chief Minister also ordered immediate measures to evacuate people from low-lying areas to safer locations as water levels continue to rise.

Recalling that Congress government in united Andhra Pradesh had originally constructed the Yellampalli Project as a key junction for optimum utilisation of Godavari waters, the Chief Minister said that experts and engineers’ recommendations will be sought to examine repair and restoration possibilities of Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla projects of Kaleshwaram.

Heavy rains since Tuesday night under the impact of low-pressure area wreaked havoc in Kamareddy and Medak district.

Meanwhile, the state government said six persons were missing while 1,444 people were rescued from flood-affected areas.

Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department rescued people trapped in floods with the help of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and crew of local fire stations. Most of the people were rescued in worst-affected districts of Kamareddy and Medak.

Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao has directed officials of the concerned departments to submit reports with estimates of losses due to heavy rains and floods.

He held a tele-conference with special chief secretaries, chief secretaries and secretaries of various departments.

The Chief Secretary stated that heavy rains and floods have caused huge losses, especially in the districts of Nirmal, Medak, Kamareddy and Sircilla. He wanted officials to immediately submit preliminary reports on the damages due to heavy rains and floods.

--IANS

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