Telangana CM holds review meet on rains, floods, directs officials to undertake relief measures

Amid heavy rainfall and floods in the state, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday instructed official machinery to stay alert and take the necessary measures to prevent any loss to property or lives, according to Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

He said that all the precautionary measures to be put in place in the wake of heavy to very heavy rains in the next three to four days as per the forecast. Rao also directed for setting up control rooms to monitor the situation.

His remarks came at a high-level review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here on Monday on heavy rains, floods in the state and the situation arisen out of the calamity.

The Chief Minister informed that the government has kept ready funds necessary for the relief and rehabilitation.

Senior officials from the Disaster Management, Revenue, Water Resources, Electricity, Municipal, Panchayat Raj, Agriculture, and Road and Buildings were present in the meeting.

He held a special review meeting on the situation prevailing in Warangal urban, Warangal rural, Karimnagar, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Peddapalli, Bhoopal Pally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem and other districts which witnessed heavy rainfall and flash floods.

"Due to the incessant rains for the past four to five days, tanks all over the state are full. Water is flowing into all the reservoirs. Rivers, canals and rivulets are overflowing. As on date, the situation is under control. But the coming three to four days are crucial. There is a possibility of heavy rains due to the depression lay centred in North-East Madhya Pradesh, North Chhattisgarh, and South East Uttar Pradesh," Rao said.

"Along with this, there is a possibility of a depression lay centred in the North Bay of Bengal on August 19. Moreover, there is heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Rivers Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Pranahita, and Indravathi in the upper states. Due to all these factors, there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rains and major floods. Hence, the entire official machinery should be on high alert, assess the situation that develops in the coming days and make arrangements accordingly," he said.

As heavy rain inundated Warangal city, the Chief Minister enquired about the relief measures taken there. Rao instructed the ministers to personally visit the city and take necessary action after monitoring the situation.

In accordance with the Chief Minister's instructions, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao, Medical and Health Minister Etela Rajender will go to Warangal city on Tuesday morning by a helicopter to assess the situation.

In the meeting, Rao said that the government's aim is to prevent any loss of life.

"We can overcome and manage other loses but we cannot get back lives. Hence, the official machinery should understand that saving lives is the topmost on the agenda," he said.

He directed officials to low-lying areas and shift people from there to safer places.

The Chief Minister ordered to set up special relief camps across the state and make arrangements for the supply of food, shelter in these camps.

"Supply Masks and stizers to prevent people from COVID," he said.

He also requested ministers, public representatives should stay wherever they are and monitor the relief measures.

Agriculture officials should prepare estimates about the crops damaged due to rain and floods, Rao said.

He said that Panchayat Raj and Municipal Administration departments should obtain daily reports from the villages and urban areas on the prevailing situation.

"Those reports, through Collector and Secretaries should reach the Chief Secretary. Based on the reports, necessary action should be taken. There should not be any laxity in relief and rehabilitation work," the Chief Minister said.

"Under united Andhra Pradesh, flood manuals were prepared based on the experiences and situation of the Andhra region. Land and strategies were made based on this. They never bothered about the Telangana region. They have not taken into consideration, even if the Telangana region experiences heavy rain and floods and calamities. We have to prepare these manuals based on the situation in Telangana now after the formation of Telangana. This should be done on a permanent basis. Policy related to flood management should be prepared," he said.

The Chief Minister also asked the Medical and Health department to stay alert about the seasonal contagious diseases and others that break out during the rainy season.

"Create awareness among the people. Medical and health staff at the field level should be on alert. Keep all the medicines ready in all the government hospitals. Prepare a permanent plan for the rainy season every year and implement it," he said.

Several ministers including Mohammed Ali, KT Rama Rao, Niranjan Reddy, Etela Rajender and officials were present in the meeting.

Hyderabad Collector Swetha Mohanty and GHMC Commissioner Lokesh also attended the meeting.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rains are very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Nirmal, Komarambheem, Mancherial, Rajanna Sircilla, Karimnagar, -Jaya Shankar Bhupalapalle, Warangal and Peddapalle on Tuesday.

( With inputs from ANI )