The State government is determined to stop the floodwater from entering Vijayawada city, and this will be achieved by Saturday afternoon if the weather cooperates, says Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Rama Naidu in an exclusive interview with K Kalyan Krishna Kumar. The Minister stated that efforts are focused on plugging the breaches on the left bund of Budameru rivulet, which have impacted Vijayawada city.
How many breaches occurred in Budameru?
Three breaches occurred in the left bund of Budameru rivulet, seven in the right bund, and three were noticed in Puli Vagu, where water flows into Budameru. Our priority is to plug the breaches in the left bund.
How many breaches have been plugged so far?
So far, we have successfully plugged two breaches, which were 50 and 70 metres long, respectively. The work on the third breach, which is 110 metres long, is ongoing, with about 30 metres plugged by Friday evening. However, the work progressed at a snail’s pace as it started raining on Friday evening.
When can we expect 100% closure of the third breach?
We hope to finish plugging it by Saturday afternoon if the weather stays dry, as it did on Friday morning. To speed up the repair works, we are using nearly 20 JCBs and hundreds of trucks.
What challenges have you faced while plugging the breaches?
We have faced numerous challenges in repairing the bunds. The approach road towards the bridge was disrupted, and the soil is loose cotton soil. The embankment’s width, originally 20 metres, shrunk to 3 metres due to the negligence of the previous YSRC government. This forced us to construct a new approach road and strengthen the embankment to allow truck access. Additionally, adverse weather conditions have created obstacles. Despite the brisk pace of work, heavy downpours combined with a flow of 9,000 cusecs of water washed away materials used to plug the breaches, causing 20 per cent of the material loss. As a solution, we poured one-tonne rocks to construct the approach road.
How is the Army assisting in closure of the breaches?
The Indian Army’s engineering department officials visited the bunds on Thursday and suggested some plans. We will utilise their services based on the challenges faced in closing the breaches.
When will the remaining breaches be plugged?
The work to plug the breaches on the right bank has also begun. Once we finish closing the breaches on the Budameru left bund, we will focus on the other parts of Budameru. We have also assigned the right bund work to different agencies and officials to expedite the process, and we hope to complete it within a week.
What measures will be taken to prevent floods in the future?
We plan to implement permanent solutions to prevent channel-level floods once the current situation is fully resolved and will address the blockage issues of Budameru and Kolleru rivultes. We have been informed that some YSRC leaders and acthave occupied channel lands for real estate promotion.
What is your response to the allegations of delayed action in addressing the issue?
Former Chief Minister and YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy should explain to the public what he did for the Budameru rivulet during his tenure. The previous NDA-led TDP government proposed increasing Budameru’s capacity to handle 35,000 cusecs of water, and work had started on the project. However, the previous YSRC government halted the works, leading to the current havoc experienced by Vijayawada.
