Central team inspects crop damage in Chittoor, Kadapa

Tirupati/Chittoor: The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) on second day of their two day visit to Chittoor and Kadapa districts to assess the damage caused due to flash floods, inspected damaged roads, drains, bridges, tanks and crops on Saturday.

As part of it, the team first visited several parts including Karakambadi Road, Auto Nagar, SPDCL Road, MR Palli Circle, Mahila University road, Gollavani Gunta, Krishnareddy Nagar, Pulavani Gunta and Koramenu Gunta.

The women residing at Sriram Nagar explained their plight due to floods and also showed the water still in their houses. District Collector M Hari Narayanan, MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, Mayor Dr R Sirisha, Municipal Commissioner P S Girisha explained the team about the damages caused to the roads, drains and bridges in the city through photo exhibition at SPDCL Road.

Later the team visited MR Palli and Mahila University area where the MLA and Mayor explained how the floodwaters surrounded their colonies for three days and even not allowing them to step out from their houses.

The team also inspected drains and roads damaged due to rains at many areas.

In the second half of day, the team visited Chandragiri, Renigunta, Srikalahasti, Papanaidupeta, Gajualamandyam, Pedapanjani, Somala, Punganuru and Gangavaram mandals and inspected damage caused to paddy, banana, tomato, cauliflower, beans, cabbage and potato crops.

The IMCT visited many bridges damaged due to floods including Thanapalli bridge near Tirupati, Padipeta bridge near Tiruchanur, Swarnamukhi bridge at Nadimpalle, Swarnamukhi bridge at Gudimallam, R and B bridge at G Palem.

At Pathasanambatla in Chandragiri mandal, MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy explained the team about the damages caused to roads, bridges and crops in his constituency. The team visited Rayalacheruvu where district collector M Hari Narayanan and MLA Chevireddy Baskar Reddy explained the situation at the tank bund and evacuation of 18 villagers as a precautionary measure.

At Gangavaram mandal, the officials explained that the crops in 245.50 acres were damaged incurring huge loss to 267 farmers in the mandal and at Punganur mandal the crops in 261.1225 acres damaged causing a loss to 1,804 farmers. Farmers at many places prayed the team to save them from crop loss.

The Central team consists of NDMA Advisor from Ministry of Home Affairs Kunal Sathyarthi, Director for Department of Expenditure of Ministry of Finance, Abhey Kumar, Director of Department of Agriculture co-operation and Farmers Welfare K Manoharan, Superintendent Engineer from Ministry of Water Resources Srinivasu Bairy, Director of Ministry of Power Shivani Sharma, Superintendent Engineer of Ministry of Roads Sravan Kumar Singh, Anil Kumar Singh from Ministry of Rural Development, Principal Secretary Arunkumar. District officials from various departments were present. Abedkumar, Director, Inter-Ministerial Central Team and his team visited Punganur on Saturday. Madanapalli Sub Collector Jahnavi explained the devastation caused in 104.7 hectare due to heavy rains in which 1,804 farmers have incurred crop loss in Punganaur mandal.

In Somala mandal, crops in 1,985 acres damaged and 1,931 famers have incurred loss. She said heavy rains followed by breaches of tanks and causeways in the mandal have caused serious loss for roads and standing crops like paddy, cauli flower, tomato and others. She said effective measures were initiated to avert human loss in the floods. Joint Director (Agriculture) Dorasani, Joint Collector (Animal Husbandry) Venkatarao and Joint Director (Horticulture) Srinivasulu were present.