HYDERABAD: Urging the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the floods as a national calamity that has resulted in loss of life and crops in lakhs of acres, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday asked the Centre to release Rs 2,000 crore as immediate assistance.
Revealing that as per preliminary estimates, crops and property worth Rs 5,438 crore were damaged due to heavy rains and resultant floods, he directed Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari to write to the PM asking him to undertake a visit to flood-affected areas in Telangana.
The chief minister chaired a review meeting in the Integrated Command and Control Center with available ministers and officials of various departments. After the meeting, he left for the flood-affected areas in Khammam and Suryapet districts.
In Suryapet, Revanth’s first halt was at Mothe which has borne the brunt of the floods in the district.
He inspected the damaged roads and crops along with ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.
From Mothe, Revanth proceeded to Khammam, which is the worst-affected district.
In Khammam, the chief minister first visited the breached Palair Left Canal and inspected the damaged crops along with his Cabinet colleagues, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Thummala Nageswara Rao. He also inspected the damages in various colonies in Khammam and spoke to the residents and rain victims.
Rs 10K immediate aid for Khammam flood victims
Revanth also interacted with the people who lost everything to the flooded Munneru river in Khammam. He assured them all help from the state government and announced immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 each.
Later, the chief minister reviewed the situation with district authorities and sought from them the details of property damage and crop loss.
Addressing the review meetings, Revanth said that 16 people died due to rain and floods and crops were damaged in lakhs of acres. He stated that as per preliminary information, crops in 4–5 lakh acres were damaged.
He said that due to the alertness of the government, the damages were minimised. “Though the government made efforts to minimise damage, a few places reported huge losses,” the chief minister said.
He said that Khammam reported more damage than Krishna district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
He also lashed out at BRS leaders for their criticism. “This is worst situation. No one should do politics in this situation. In AP, Opposition leaders YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and YS Sharmila are visiting the flood- affected areas and interacting with people. But in Telangana, Opposition leader K Chandrasekhar Rao is not stepping out of his farmhouse. Why is KCR silent? On the other hand, KT Rama Rao is speaking only through Twitter. Sitting in the US, enjoying his life, he is spreading lies. You enjoy personal life but blaming the ministers and government without basis is not good. Cheap tactics should stop. If the Opposition offers genuine suggestions, the government is ready to implement them,” he said.
The chief minister appealed to Congress workers to wholeheartedly take part in relief activities. He said that in Khammam, the government set up 34 rehabilitation and relief camps where around 7,000 people from 2,119 families were shifted.
The chief minister stayed the night in Khammam and he will visit Mahabubabad district on Tuesday.