Encroachments caused floods in Khammam, says CM Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad, Sep 3 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday said that the floods in Munneru Rivulet in Khammam town were the result of encroachments.

For a second consecutive day, the Chief Minister visited the flood-affected Khammam district.

He told media persons that he would discuss the issue of raising the height of the retaining wall of Munneru Rivulet. He said encroachments would be removed after identifying them through the Survey of India map.

He also alleged that former minister and BRS leader Puvvada Ajay Kumar built a hospital on encroached land and demanded that BRS leader Harish Rao respond to the matter. He said the BRS leaders should set an example in removing encroachments.

Revanth Reddy mentioned that Khammam received 42 centimetres of rainfall, which is the highest in 75 years. He claimed that the precautionary measures taken by the state government minimised the loss of lives. The Chief Minister, who later visited Mahabubabad district, said the state government had written to the Centre, seeking financial assistance for relief in flood-hit areas. Stating that the initial estimates show the state suffered a loss of Rs.5,438 crore, he said the Centre was urged to provide Rs.2,000 crore as immediate assistance. He said a letter was written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to declare floods in Telangana a national calamity and hoped that the Prime Minister would respond positively. Revanth Reddy said the state was working to prepare a special disaster response force by training young police personnel. He said that the state government is paying Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased.

On BJP MP Eatala Rajender’s demand for paying Rs 50 lakh compensation each to the families of the deceased, the Chief Minister said if the Centre comes forward to give Rs 25 lakh, the state government would pay the remaining amount.

In Mahabubabad district, the Chief Minister visited Akeru vagu (stream) where the bridge was washed away in floods. He met the affected people at Sitaram Naik Thanda.