RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said the twin Godavari districts have incurred a loss of Rs 600 crore due to the floods and announced Rs 25,000 per hectare as compensation to the farmers whose crops have been damaged. Naidu on Wednesday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in the two districts and held a review meeting with officials. Later, speaking to media, Naidu said the government will provide Rs 25,000 per hectare as compensation to the farmers for the crops damaged in floods.
Paddy, cotton and horticulture crops in around 6,400 hectares were damaged in the floods in East Godavari alone. “The loss is estimated to be around 600 crore in both the districts,’’ he said. According to Naidu, 43 villages in 19 mandals of East Godavari and 197 villages in 25 mandals in West Godavari were affected due to the floods. Road links to 49 villages were cut off and some villages were marooned. Nearly 2,912 people were taking shelter in 16 relief camps in East Godavari district, Naidu said adding that the overflowing river Sabari badly affected villages.
The State government will pay Rs 1.50 lakh each for rebuilding 250 houses that were completely damaged in the floods. He instructed officials to submit reports on the flood situation in a week’s time. Naidu said the government will sanction 35 crores for taking up repairs to R&B roads. Following very high inflows into the Tammileru reservoir, authorities had to let out 80,000 cusecs of water in West Godavari district.
Interacting with media on the progress of Polavaram, Naidu said 57.5% of the project was completed and 6,600 crores spent till now. “The Centre is yet to pay Rs 2,500 crores towards the project construction. If they want us to complete it we will do that. We are trying to complete it by May 2019,” he said. Naidu said 57 projects were taken up and out of the 16 were completed and some more were in the pipeline and likely to be completed by May next year.
“We are able to provide water to Krishna through Pattiseema project,’’ he said. Replying to a query, Naidu said the Velugonda project would be completed in 2019 and water would be supplied to Kanigiri.