CM Revanth Reddy to Conduct Aerial Survey of Flood-Hit Warangal and Husnabad Tomorrow

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will conduct an aerial survey in the flood-ravaged Warangal district and Husnabad Assembly constituency on Friday.

The Chief Minister will inspect the areas damaged by heavy rains and the withered crops. He was supposed to go on an aerial survey on Thursday but canceled at the last minute as the officials warned of inclement weather conditions, which are not suitable for flying in the helicopter.

Following huge flood-related damages, the Chief Minister ordered the district Collectors and senior officials to take relief measures on a war footing in the affected areas by the torrential rains under the influence of cyclone Mantha.

The officials were instructed to take appropriate measures to ensure no loss of life and livestock in the flood-affected areas.  Shifting of the people from the flood-prone areas and providing rehabilitation to them should be given top priority.

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The Chief Minister held a video conference with the Collectors and senior officials of the cyclone-affected districts on Thursday.

The Ministers and Collectors briefed the Chief Minister about the damage to paddy and cotton in the cyclone-affected areas.  Preliminary enumeration said that huge flood damages were reported in the erstwhile Warangal and Nalgonda districts and also in Husnabad assembly constituency.

Expressing serious concern over the plight of the flood-affected farmers during the crop harvesting, Revanth Reddy said that the government set the target of 80 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procurement and instructed the Civil Supplies department to take strict measures accordingly.

In the wake of the reports that paddy has been soaked in many places and the farmers are worried about their paddy stocks being washed away in some IKP centers, Revanth Reddy instructed the collectors to make arrangements to immediately shift paddy from the IKP centers to the nearest godowns and mills.

The officials were also ordered to store paddy in the nearest function halls where mills and godowns are not available. The Collectors were also instructed to appoint an in-charge officer for each procurement center. Revanth Reddy warned of strict action if the incumbents are negligent and appoint others in their place.

The Chief Minister also said that collectors should collect a report from each IKP center every evening and take immediate action against the negligent officers who do not submit the report.  Leaves of all officials should also be canceled and ensure that every officer conducts a field visit and is available to the public.

Sufficient tarpaulins should be made available to prevent paddy from getting wet due to rain. Theo officials were ordered to bring to the notice of the Chief Secretary and Civil Supplies Commissioner if policy decisions are required. The Revenue and Agriculture department will take up the enumeration losses soon after the flood subsides.

Revanth Reddy also instructed the district in-charge Ministers to review the relief measures carried out in the cyclone-affected districts, restoration of roads and highways, and the status of paddy procurement from time to time. All Ministers should be available in their own districts and conduct periodical reviews on the measures taken to provide relief to the people in the flood-ravaged districts.

Alerting the officials that the Meteorological Department has already warned that 16 districts in the state will be affected by the cyclone, Revanth Reddy said that the energy department should be equipped to restore power supply immediately in the flood-hit areas.

“Unfortunately, a DCM van and driver washed away in a canal in Khammam district due to heavy floods”, he said.

The Chief Minister said that such incidents can be prevented if the officials sound an alarm at all roads and bridges on the roads, low-level causeways, which are flooded during heavy rains.

The officials were instructed to install danger warning boards in areas where floodwater was flowing on the roads and highways. The police should enforce prohibitory orders to prevent vehicles from going in that direction. The local CI and Revenue officials should put up barricades on both sides to prevent vehicles from going in that direction. Traffic should also be diverted on damaged roads, and people should not venture out during heavy rains, the Chief Minister said, ordering the health department to make available emergency medical services, he said.

In view of the high impact of the cyclone in Warangal, the Chief Minister ordered the Chief Secretary and DGP to utilize the services of the police and, if necessary, deploy HYDRAA teams with necessary equipment from Hyderabad. An adequate number of boats should also be sent for immediate relief operations in Warangal and move the SDRF personnel available in various districts to the flood-affected district.

He also ordered that steps be taken to utilize the HYDRAA personnel from Hyderabad and the flood relief equipment for rescue operations in other places. The officials were instructed to set up 9 relief camps and evacuate   2,000 people to safe areas in Warangal. Drinking water and food packets should be supplied to the families trapped on roofs and bungalows in the floods, Revanth Reddy said.

The Chief Minister stressed that relief operations should be intensified in Warangal, and a toll-free help cell should be set up in the Collectorate to monitor the situation round the clock. The help line should also be set up in the Command Control Center at the state level as well, and arrangements should be made to respond immediately in case of rains, floods, and disasters, he said.