Heavy Rains- KTR reviewed the conditions in the towns

Hyderabad: Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Thursday asked the officials to take measures to prevent loss of life.

The Minister had a tele-conference with Municipal Administration Department officials and Additional Collectors from Hyderabad on Thursday. The Minister also visited Tank Bund to take stock of the situation of rising water level in the reservoir.

The Minister directed the officials of the municipal department to act as the primary priority to avoid loss of life. He asked the officials to be alert for the conditions in the low lying areas. More relief measures would be taken in the towns where the flood water has stopped. People should be immediately evacuated from the dilapidated buildings, he said.

Talking to media, Rama Rao said that the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was reviewing the heavy rains in the state from time to time. He has also spoke to the officials of the municipal department. GHMC Commissioner and other top officials down to the lower level staff in the field were all working in Hyderabad city too. “All the holidays of municipal employees have been cancelled. We are reviewing the situation from time to time through phones and other media. People are facing some trouble due to the incessant rains. So far precautions were taken without any loss of life. Our main objective is to avoid loss of life,” said Rao.

The minister said that in the background of red alert for Hyderabad, the government would make all kinds of efforts. “We will complete the desilting program in Hyderabad city. Apart from this, we have also taken up programs to strengthen the ponds. We have fixed gates to 135 ponds. Disaster Response Force officers and staff are also working extensively. In the past, when there was heavy rainfall, many areas would were flooding. But this time due to the programs undertaken by the Nala Development Programme, the impact of the flood has been somewhat reduced, he said. Compared to last year, the flood problem in those areas has reduced a lot, he added.

The Minister asked the opposition parties to stop politics and do things that will benefit the people who are suffering due to heavy rains. “Don't make petty criticisms that can damage the morale of government employees who are constantly working in heavy rains. All the departments of the government are working to face the rain. Citizens in flood prone areas are being alerted. We are setting up control rooms and setting up temporary shelters everywhere. We are also reviewing the ponds if they are in danger of getting dirty. We are constantly monitoring the closed flood. As soon as the rains recede, measures will be taken to prevent the spread of diseases,” said Rao, adding if necessary he would visit Warangal on Friday.