l Union Agriculture Minister attributes floods to 400 mm rainfall and breaches to Budameru rivulet.
l Union praised highlights the use of drones for delivering relief supplies.
l Authorities undertake cleaning, sanitisation, and infection prevention measures.
l Chouhan says the previous govt’s illegal excavations near Budameru as a factor in the flood disaster.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has attributed the recent flood disaster to the unforeseen 400 mm rainfall in Vijayawada and breaches in the Budameru rivulet
Speaking at a media conference alongside Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at the Collector’s office on Thursday, the Minister expressed gratitude to the CM for his proactive leadership, including converting the Collector’s office into a temporary camp office and leading the relief efforts around the clock.
Chouhan praised the administration for its effective response to the complex flood situation and highlighted the Central government’s commitment to providing full support and assistance. He noted that in response to the Chief Minister’s request, NDRF teams and helicopters were promptly deployed, and both state and central disaster response forces collaborated in rescuing those affected by the floods.
The Union Minister commended the State government’s efficient handling of the situation, which helped keep the death toll relatively low. He expressed appreciation for the joint efforts of officials and elected representatives in supporting flood victims. Chouhan also lauded the IAS officers deployed in the affected areas for their dedication to relief activities. Following his visit, he reported that flood victims received timely essentials such as food, milk, and water. He highlighted the innovative use of drones to deliver food packets and drinking water bottles, a first in the country.
In addition to flood relief, the Chief Minister has instructed authorities to undertake house and road cleaning, sanitisation, and sanitation on a war footing to prevent the spread of infections.
The Chief Minister has requested assistance from Central forces to address the breaches in the Budameru rivulet and is awaiting their prompt deployment. Chouhan emphasised the need for both short-term and long-term measures to prevent future calamities. He noted that the 70-year-old Prakasam barrage, which can handle a flow of 11.90 lakh cusecs, requires capacity enhancements, as requested by the Chief Minister. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has dispatched a central team to assess the situation. Chouhan also pointed to illegal excavations by the previous government near Budameru as a contributing factor to the flood disaster.
The Minister reported that two lakh farmers across 1.80 lakh hectares have suffered losses to their agricultural and horticultural crops. The NDRF, Agriculture, and Planning teams have begun assessing these losses. He criticised the previous government for failing to pay crop insurance premiums, which exacerbated farmers’ losses. Chouhan assured that the current NDA government will support the farmers and facilitate their access to the central crop insurance scheme.
