Hyderabad, October 01: The Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah, on Thursday, directed the officials concerned to take into consideration the power generation and filling up of tanks under the ayacut while releasing excess water from the reservoirs.
Talking to mediapersons after the Chief Minister’s review with the officials on the situation prevailed due to rains in the last three days, the Minister for Revenue, Mr Dharmana Prasada Rao, said that the rains in the last three days have caused crop damage and casualties in various districts. The inflow of the water bodies also increased resulting in improvement of water levels, he added. He said that water level at Nagarjunasagar project would reach maximum level in two days, if the present inflow continued. The storage capacity of Nagarjunasagar was 408 tmc of water, he said, adding that the inflow into the Srishailam project was 8.85 lakh cusecs of water following adequate rains in Krishna basin.
Keeping the situation in mind, the Chief Minister has instructed the irrigation officers to fill the tanks under zone I, II and III while releasing the excess water from Nagarjunasagar. The Chief Minister also asked the officers to prevent floods in the low-level towns after the release of water, he added.
The Minister said that 15 persons comprising seven from Karimnagar district, one in Mahbubnagar, four in Prakasam and three in Karimnagar, were dead due to the rains in the last three days. Besides, two persons were injured in Karimnagar, one in Mahbubnnagar, one in Karimnagar and four persons were found missing in Prakasam, he added. About the cattle casualties, he said that 478 cattle perished in Kurnool, 576 in Mahbubnagar and 64 in Visakhapatnam.
Regarding crop damage, Mr Prasada Rao said that the crop was damaged in 200 acres in Kurnool district while crop of paddy and tobacco was damaged in 743 acres in Karimnagar district. The cotton and mirchi crops were submerged in the water in 2,000 acres in Guntur district, he added. He also said that several houses were also partially damaged in some areas due to heavy rains. Rehabilitation camps have been set up in Visakhapatnam and Kurnool districts for provide shelter to the people, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the district Collectors have been directed to take up relief and rehabilitation measures on a war-footing. He also instructed the officers to take up repairing of damaged bunds at rivulets.
The Chief Minister also said that ex gratia would be paid to the families of diseased due to rains. The Collectors have been already directed to pay immediate financial help under Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). (NSS)