Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday declared a three-day holiday, from July 11 to 13, for all educational institutions in the state due to heavy rains across the state.
The Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting with ministers and senior officials at Pragathi Bhavan on Sunday to review the impact of rains and floods on irrigation projects and tanks. Government officials were asked to remain alert, as well as initiate precautionary measures to prevent loss of life and property due to the incessant rains.
Addressing a press conference later, the CM said that incessant rains for the past three days led to huge inflows at all major reservoirs, dams and other water bodies. He alerted people in low-lying areas to remain vigilant as a release of water downstream from projects might cause floods.
He directed officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas, with a focus on Nizamabad, Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao ordered the deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), state DRF and other rescue teams, as well as helicopters, for rescue operations.
He said that the state government has also sought the help of the Indian Air Force for rescue operations. He also called for the deployment of rescue teams in Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Kothagudem districts.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar was instructed to set up a state-level control room and monitor the situation constantly, in coordination with district officials. All collectors of the districts, which were affected due to the rains, were asked to establish control rooms to assist people and take up rescue operations, wherever needed.
People were advised not to venture out and avoid travel unless in case of emergencies.
Officials said that Eturunagaram and Ramannagudem faced a flood threat, with evacuation done in low-lying areas.
In the wake of a heavy rainfall alert over the next couple of days, officials of erstwhile Sangareddy, Medak and Nizamabad were asked to remain on high alert. Officials of the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited were asked to take immediate measures to restore the power supply in case of any interruptions due to rains.
To oversee the rescue and relief operations in low-lying areas, senior IAS and IPS officers will be assigned to each rain-affected district.
They were asked to communicate the latest situation to the Chief Minister’s Office at regular intervals. The irrigation department will monitor the flood levels in reservoirs and barrages in the neighbouring states, to take preventive measures in the downstream projects in Telangana.
For Hyderabad, the CM directed GHMC officials and those of surrounding municipalities to take measures to prevent the loss of lives or properties due to the snapping of live wires or the collapse of old walls. The health department was instructed to take measures to prevent the spread of seasonal and contagious diseases.
Considering the inflows into Hussainsagar, Himayatsagar and Osmansagar, as well as other water bodies in Hyderabad, officials were asked to take all measures to avoid submergence of low-lying areas and evacuate people in case of flooding.
The CM stated that a huge inflow of about 9.1 lakh cusecs was recorded at the Sammakka barrage in the Godavari river. The Sri Ram Sagar project, which has already reached 68 TMC capacity, is expected to reach its full capacity by Monday, with over 4 lakh cusecs of inflows at present.
The CM said two labourers from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh died following a wall collapse in Nalgonda district on Sunday. An ex gratia of `3 lakh each was given to the bereaved families and bodies were shifted to their native place, the CM said.
