Ministers assure to develop Erra Kaluva flood banks

Rajamahendravaram: Agriculture, Marketing and Fisheries Minister K Atchennaidu, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, and Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh visited the flood-affected areas in Nidadavole constituency on Sunday and interacted with people. Ex MLA Burugupalli Sesha Rao also was present.

The ministers said that the state government has already deposited Rs 1,000 crore out of the Rs 1,680 crore owed by the previous government to the farmers related to the paddy purchase bills. The remaining Rs 680 crore will be deposited in another week.

Commissioner of Agriculture Department Dilli Rao, district collector P Prasanthi, joint collector Tej Bharat, sub-collector Asutosh Srivatsava and others explained the flood relief measures to the ministers.

They assured that the state government will take up the modernisation work of Erra Kaluva banks to find a permanent solution to the flooding problem. Atchennaidu said that thousands of acres are inundated every year due to the flood of Erra Kaluva causing crop loss. He said that this canal affects 20 mandals from Jangareddygudem to Bhimavaram.

He said that the Erra Kaluva flood prevention project will be completed without hesitating on the cost. These works will be carried out in three phases.

The reason for the current predicament is that the previous government completely neglected the maintenance of the Erra Kaluva flood banks, ministers alleged. They distributed essential commodities to flood victims in Tallapalem village.