Amaravati, Oct 19 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu said relief efforts for the flood-affected people are happening at full swing in nine districts.
Announcing the latest estimates, Kannababu said 1.07 lakh hectares of crops have been damaged, including 13,563 hectares of horticulture and 2,974 hectares of pisciculture.
Similarly, 478 boats belonging to fishermen were also damaged.
The minister said all the departments are taking up damage control exercises, especially roads and buildings and electricity departments.
All the reservoirs in East and West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts have been filled to the brim with rain water, said Kannababu adding that Yeleru reservoir received 30 tmc water and all drains originating from the reservoir were brimming with copious water inflows.
Kannababu said 40 colonies in rural Kakinada were badly affected, including segments of Pithapuram, Prattipadu and Anarparthi.
He said the government is providing food and essential commodities to the affected families in these places, even as boats were requisitioned to rescue the affected families and also to provide mineral water.
The health department has been alerted to provide free medicines to the affected families while village volunteers are also chipping in with relief efforts.
Likewise, the civil supplies department has been directed to provide essential commodities to the affected families.
Relief and health camps were also being run in the flood-hit places.
In view of the rain forecast in the coming days, the minister said officials have been alerted to take adequate steps to handle any exigencies.
There is no truth in the utterances of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh’s statements which claimed that only Rs 25 lakh was provided as input subsidy, the minister said.
He said Rs 125 crore input subsidy was released in July and August and rythu bharosa was paid in full in May.
“Lokesh was claiming that 64 people were killed in East Godavari due to floods, and that 700 farmers had committed suicide in the state. Such lies would unnecessarily create fear among the people,” Kannababu said.
The agriculture minister said Nara Chandrababu Naidu deceived farmers in Amaravati by making tall promises and hence people voted out TDP in the last elections.
“Lokesh has no right to speak ill of the chief minister as people know very well how he was striving to provide good governance,” he said.
Kannababu said Naidu deceived people by showcasing graphics even as he welcomed constructive criticism but not untruths about the present government.
–IANS
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