An inter-Ministerial Central team, headed by National Institute of Disaster Management Executive Director Rajendra Ratnoo, toured extensively the areas affected by Cyclone Michaung in SPSR Nellore district on Thursday.
The Central team head, after viewing the photo exhibition organised by the district administration at the Tikkanna Bhavan, told the media that the team would recommend the Centre to release liberal assistance for the farmers who lost agricultural and horticultural crops and toward the repairs of breached water bodies, collapsed houses and damaged electricity infrastructure.
Accompanied by Joint Collector R. Kurmanath and other district officials, the Central team members visited the damaged farms in Kovur, Sarvepalli and Nellore Rural Assembly segments.
They interacted with groups of farmers to know first-hand the damage caused by the cyclone to, among other crops, banana and betel leaf plantations in 10,142 hectares. Agricultural crops in 8,426 hectares and horticultural crops in 1,716 hectares were damaged, district officials told the Central team.
Stating that temporary repairs had been carried out at a cost of ₹4.21 crore to electrical installations and roads, they pressed for ₹411.18 crore for restoration works on permanent repairs.