The Hindu Business Line : AP CM orders relief work at rain-hit areas

THE Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has directed officials to take up rescue and relief activities in the areas hit by incessant rain in the last three days.

Nine rain-related deaths reported so far. Dr Reddy has announced an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 under the Apadbandhu scheme and Rs 50,000 under the CM's Relief Fund to the kin of the deceased.

Reviewing the situation with Ministers, officials, and people's representatives on Monday, he directed the officials to evacuate people in the affected areas to safer places.

He directed the Panchayat Raj and Roads and Buildings officials to deploy teams to restore all breached and damaged medium irrigation tanks and roads. "He asked the officials to take up short-term measures to address the immediate problems and long-term measures to strengthen roads and other infrastructure," said Mr Dharmana Prasada Rao, Minister for Revenue.

Speaking to newspersons, he said that the State registered an average rainfall of 19.6 mm on Monday. Out of 1,128 mandals, 492 received rainfall of 10 mm or more while 178 received rainfall in the range of 5-10 mm. The Minister also said that the rainfall proved to be a windfall for the State, which has suffered from slack monsoon.

Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation, too was jubilant with reservoirs in the Krishna and Godavari basins, Pennar delta, and Prakasam barrage getting good inflows.

"The rain has done more good than it caused harm," he said at a separate news conference.

Meanwhile, the Government has set up a State-level control room (phone nos. 2345 1043 and 2345 6005) to address rain-related grievances at the office of Commissioner of Disaster Management.

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