Telangana CM to conduct aerial survey in flood-hit Warangal, Husnabad on Oct 31

Hyderabad, Oct 30 (PTI) Telangana 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 has directed the district collectors and senior officials to take relief measures on a war footing in the areas affected by the torrential rains under the influence of cyclone 'Montha', an official release said.

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

The CM held a video conference with the collectors and senior officials of the cyclone-affected districts.

He was briefed about the damage to paddy and cotton.

Preliminary enumeration said that 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, Reddy said that the government has set the target of 80 lakh metric tonne of paddy procurement and instructed the Civil Supplies department to take strict measures accordingly.

In the wake of the reports that paddy had been soaked in many places and the farmers are worried about their stocks being washed away in some procurement centres, he instructed the collectors to make arrangements to immediately shift them to the nearest godowns and mills.

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 review on the measures taken to provide relief to the people, he said.

The officials were instructed to install danger warning boards in areas where flood water was flowing on the roads and highways.

Traffic should also be diverted on damaged roads and people should not venture out during heavy rains, the CM said, ordering the Health department to make available emergency medical services.

In view of the impact of the cyclone in Warangal, Reddy directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to utilise the services of the police and, if necessary, deploy Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) teams with necessary equipment from Hyderabad.

Adequate number of boats should also be sent for immediate relief operations in Warangal and the SDRF personnel available in various districts be deployed to the flood-hit district, he said.

The CM stressed that relief operations should be intensified in Warangal and a toll-free help centre be set up in the Collectorate to monitor the situation round-the-clock, the release added. PTI VVK VVK KH