With heavy rains lashing Telangana over the past few days, state Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao directed his ministerial colleagues to stay in their respective districts and monitor the flood situation and supervise relief and rehabilitation works.
In view of the flood situation, Rao cancelled the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday and asked the ministers to work in coordination with district-level officials and ensure evacuation of people from the low-lying areas to safer places.
“In the wake of increasing flood in Godavari river and its tributaries following heavy rains in the catchment areas of the river in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister directed the district ministers, officials and also the police of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam districts, to remain alert,” an official release said.
Rao further directed Warangal district administration to be on high alert as river Godavari is in full spate. The river is receiving huge inflows, therefore those living on the banks of the river should be alerted.
Similarly, the CM asked the minister T Nageshwara Rao to maintain alertness in Khammam district as the water level in the river could reach danger level at Bhadrachalam in the district. Rao said the Nizamsagar, SRSP and other projects were receiving huge inflows.
He directed the officials to take steps to shift people and cattle to safe locations. Earlier, Rao spoke to Telangana Irrigation Minister Harish Rao and Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma on the measures undertaken. Harish Rao informed the Chief Minister that all the projects in Godavari basin have received inflows to their full capacity. Harish also briefed him about the necessary measures taken up to handle the situation.
In a related development, the Meteorological Centre, Hyderabad forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers at most places over Telangana for today and tomorrow.
“Heavy rains are very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, Medak, Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad of for today and tomorrow,” it said.
[PTI]