After three days of rains, semblance of normalcy returns to Guntur
A view of the inundated fields (Photo: DC/File)
Guntur: The incessant rains in the past three days have inundated many villages, especially in Amaravati, Tadikonda and adjacent areas, even as transportation between Guntur-Amaravati-Vijayawada was restored on Saturday evening as water in some streams started to recede.
However, Achampet and Sattenapalli remained cut off due to the Kondaveeti vagu and other streams overflowing. APSRTC Guntur regional manager P. Rama Rao said that RTC, Guntur region, lost Rs 40 lakh in revenue in the last three days due to cancellation or rerouting of services. He said that all bus services were restored to Amaravati and Tadikonda areas from Guntur.
Meanwhile, bodies of the two teachers who were washed away on Friday were retrieved from the Koppaganji stream at Avisayapalem. K. Harikrishna, 28, of Govindapuram village and T. Venkatewarlu, 26, Chilakaluripeta, had fell into the stream on Friday when a SUV dashed their bike. Nadendla police handed over the bodies to their families after conducting inquest and autopsies.
Elsewhere, many fields of cotton, chilli, paddy, turmeric, tobacco, vegetables and other crops were under water. Agriculture joint director V. Sridhar said that enumeration of crop losses would begin soon.
Social welfare minister R. Kishorebabu inspected the Kondaveeti vagu at LAM farm in Tadikonda mandal. He asked the police and revenue departments to maintain security at all culverts and streams.
Mr Kishorebabu said that the modernisation of the Kondaveeti vagu would be taken up as soon as possible. The minister was speaking during his visit to the LAM farm in Tadikonda mandal after two persons were washed away in the Kondaveeti vagu during rains on Friday.
“We are taking all possible steps to minimise human loss during natural calamities,” he said. Mr Kishorebabu has said that the state government will release funds for modernisation of the Kondaveeti vagu soon.
He said a bridge would be constructed at Narukullapadu across the stream at a cost of Rs 5.30 crore. “All culverts would be raised for safe passage of the people,” Mr Kishorebabu said.
The minister visited the inundated SC Colony in Prattipadu village where he faced anger from the residents. They said that they were facing severe difficulties due to inundation and absence of essentials.
Meanwhile, several schools in Guntur city declared a holiday due to the rains. Guntur Municipal Corporation officials pressed excavators into service to clear floodwater into outfall drain Peekala Vagu of Guntur city. MLA M. Venugopala Reddy asked the GMC to modernise the Peekala vagu to end the inundation problem in the city.
Extensive damage, says report:
Guntur district officials have told the state government that the incessant rain has damaged crops in about 1,020 hectares. In their preliminary report, the officials said that over 1,000 persons were shifted to relief camps and four persons died in rain-related incidents in Guntur district in the past three days.
The officials assessed that paddy was totally damaged in 820 hecta-res and cotton in 200 hectares Phirangip-uram, Bapatla, PV Palem and Karlapalem Mandals. As many as five relief camps were started and 1,000 persons shifted to these camps in Koyav-aripalem, Prattipadu, Nadimpalem, Korrapadu and Perecharla villages.
The preliminary report said that two persons were washed away while another two died due to lightning.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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