The Hindu Business Line : Prompt relief for flood-hit in AP promised

THE administration is taking up all steps to provide prompt relief to the flood-affected people in the Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda districts and there will be constant monitoring of the situation till the waters recede, the Chief Minister, Dr.Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has said.

He was talking to newsmen after conducting an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in the Krishna district on Tuesday. He said that it was after seven years the Krishna was witnessing such floods.

"Due to the heavy inflows into the upstream reservoirs, both in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the floodwater is being let out. In the recent past, people have not faced such a situation. In some low-lying areas, they have constructed houses in proximity to the river, almost on the river bed," he said.

The Government would try to sensitise them and shift them to safer places, even after the receding of the waters, he said. Permanent measures such as strengthening of the embankments would be taken up to meet flood threats in future.

As a temporary relief measure, 20 kgs of rice would be given to the flood-affected people and they would be housed in the relief camps for as long as necessary. "This situation may last two or three days and we will make their stay in the camps as comfortable as possible," he said.

Financial assistance would be provided for reconstruction of houses under some of the Government schemes, he promised.

On the wastage of water, the Chief Minister said the previous Government had neglected irrigation and his government would take up and complete the projects. "In future, we will be in a better position to make use of the waters," he said.

Our Hyderabad Bureau adds: The State Government has reconstituted the high-level coordination committee on flood management for the year.

The committee would review forecast of floods in various rivers and at reservoir points. It would take a decision on a day-to-day basis with regard to operation of the reservoirs for flood moderation and issue alerts to the district collectors and other agencies for evacuating people in the low-lying areas.

The Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation) would act as the Convener for the committee, a Government release said.

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