Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna on Wednesday said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had given the nod for the proposed modernisation of canals and strengthening of the flood banks in the Godavari delta.
A Detailed Project Report on the proposal was submitted to the Chief Minister by the Water Resource Department on Tuesday.
Addressing the media here, Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna said that the officials of the Water Resource Department were directed by the Chief Minister to prepare technical estimates.
“These initiatives are the need of the hour. We need to ramp up our preparedness to face flash floods of a magnitude beyond the present records,” he said.
“The flood banks to be strengthened will withstand an inflow of more than 30 lakh cusecs. The inflow registered this month at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram was 28 lakh cusecs this month,” the Minister said.
Houses promised
On the second day of this tour of the flood-hit areas in the Godavari region, Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna said the government had promised to build the collapsed thatched houses under the existing housing scheme.
In the Razole Lanka area in Konaseema district alone, at least 280 houses would be built by the government, he added.
Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna accused TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu and his supporters of creating panic even as the flood victims were struggling to cope with the crisis.
