The Hindu : Front Page : YSR seeks Rs. 800-cr. aid from Centre

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 31, 2005

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YSR seeks Rs. 800-cr. aid from Centre

Special Correspondent

Undertakes aerial survey of cyclone, flood-hit areas

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately grant an interim assistance of Rs. 800 crores for taking up relief and rehabilitation works in rain-battered areas.

Dr. Reddy undertook an aerial survey of the rain and flood-hit areas in Prakasam, Guntur and Nellore districts. At some places he interacted with the affected people. According to Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy, the loss was `heavy' but was unlikely to affect the targeted agriculture production.

Situation grim

Several rivulets, streams and tanks continued to be in spate, paralysing normal life in many pockets.

The reservoir of the Vattivagu project in Adilabad district burst on its right canal side, flooding 15,000 acres and neighbouring villages. The authorities released 1 tmcft by opening the gates. The Penna rose menacingly filling the Somasila project to the brim. Plans are afoot to open the shutters to avert threat to villages downstream. After gap of decade, the Dindi project overflowed, submerging the road leading to Srisailam from Hyderabad. Vehicular traffic to Srisailam is being diverted through the Kalwakurthy-Nagar Kurnool stretch. Similarly, balancing reservoirs of Telugu Ganga such as Velugodu, Bund I & II and Brahmamgari Mattam are fast filling up.

The situation remained unchanged in Nalgonda district. At least 17 tanks breached, some of them adjoining, in the Samstha Narayanpur and Choutuppal areas. As a result, floodwater continued to flow over the Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway, affecting vehicular traffic. Narrow escape

Seven persons who were being carried away by swirling waters of Palivelavagu were saved by villagers. The rain fury subsided with storm weakening into a "feeble low pressure area."

Meanwhile, the toll in the recent spell of cyclonic rain rose to 32.

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