Andhra Pradesh - Nizamabad   

Government was not alert, says Naidu

Staff Reporter

Precaution could have minimised damage

NIZAMABAD: Former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that had the Government been alert and taken precautionary measures, damage and destruction, due to recent heavy rains could have been minimised.

`Total failure'

Addressing a press conference after his extensive tour of the flood-affected villages on the banks of Godavari in Navipet mandal here on Saturday evening, he said it was the total failure of the Government and not the administrative machinery.

The damages were extensive and public woes due to the flood could not be described in Srikakulam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Khammam districts as the Government failed to forecast the situation, give advance warnings, enforce patrolling and keep sand bags ready to arrest breaches.

"It is a clear evidence for the total failure and negligence of the Government. Srikakulam was ravaged by floods in July and several tanks and barrages were breached. As the breaches were left unplugged August floods caused heavy losses," he pointed out. In Khammam district about 15 mandals were under the sheet of water, but people were left to lurch for a week.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi made whirlwind tours and hardly spent a few minutes to console the flood victims. This showed the scant regard they had for the poor people, he said and observed that the Government should have extended relief liberally in view of the hike in prices.

TDP's share

Adilabad reporter adds: N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced two lorry loads of rice as relief material from NTR Trust for the victims in Adilabad district. He said his party would put flood relief on top of its agenda in the coming Assembly session.

Mr. Naidu demanded that at least Rs. 1,000 crores be sanctioned for relief work.

He said the Rs. 200 crores announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was grossly inadequate.

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Government was not alert, says Naidu

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