Compensation announced to Peddavagu project-hit people

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy  on Monday inspected the breach developed to the bund of the Peddavagu project at Gummadapalli village on July 18 on account of heavy inflows into the project under the influence of heavy rains.
Collector Jitesh V Patil, SP Rohit Raj, local MLA J Adinarayana and others accompanied the minister who went round the damaged project area.
Srinivas Reddy said that the extent of the breach developed by the project was big, he said and enquired about how the it suffered the breach.
ater, he went to the houses of 51 Pedavagu project-displaced persons in Koyarangapuram, Gummadavalli and Kotthuru villages and extended financial support to the victims from PSR Trust. He also visited the bereaved family of Siva, who died of electrocution in the village, and extended financial assistance to the family. He consoled the family members and assured them of government support.
Later speaking to the media at Koyarangapuram village, he announced compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre to enable farmers to remove the sand casting. In all, 400 acres of land was rendered unfit for cultivation because of sand casting. He announced distribution of free seeds to cotton and paddy farmers who sustained the paddy and cotton crop loss. Further, he announced Rs 20,000 to each head of cattle washed away in swirling flood waters and Rs 3,000 to each goat or sheep carried away by swirling waters.  He promised to give Indiramma Houses to all those who have lost their houses due to floods.
The project would be able to withstand 40,000 cusecs of flood, but it received 70,000 cusecs of inflows. He blamed the negligence on the officials for breach. Had the officials lifted the gates at the right time, major damage to the project would have been prevented. Show-cause notices have been served on officials responsible for the breach. The minister said that he got Rs 8 crore released to undertake immediate repairs to the project by speaking with the CM on the issue.
When the farmers complained to the Minister, Srinvias Reddy ordered officials to probe the encroachment of the Peddavagu project lands. He asked Collector to order a full survey once the rains have subsided.
He thanked the Government of Andhra Pradesh for rescuing 41 agricultural workers stranded in flood waters. He said that he spoke with chief secretary to the AP government who rescued the stranded with the help of a helicopter.