ADILABAD: Encroachments of tanks and nalas and illegal construction of buildings and complexes violating FTL and buffer zones of tanks has resulted in flooding Nirmal town following incessant rains.
This is for the first time that the town is facing floods and flood water flowing onto the main roads and entering houses. These are being attributed to encroachments of tanks and nalas.
Nirmal was popular for Golusukattu Cheruvulu (Chair type tanks) but a majority of them have been encroached and today many buildings and shopping complexes have come up on them.
Traffic came to a halt on NH-44 and affected connectivity from Hyderabad to Nagpur and also around Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial and Komaram Bheem Asifabad districts.
People are venting ire and blaming local political leaders for such land-grabbing.
It may be recalled that even the High Court recently expressed its anger on alleged encroachments of tanks in Nirmal and asked the district officials to submit a report on all such encroachments.
Floodwater rose up to first floors in GNR colony and rescue teams are using boats and country-made boats to evacuate the stranded people.
Vehicles were stranded for a 30-40 kms stretch on both sides at Kadthal on NH-44 and flood water is overflowing the National Highway mostly because officials lifted gates of Swarna project.
NDRF teams have rushed to Nirmal, Adilabad, Boath and Utnoor for relief measures.
People from Mahagam and Gundegam questioned Mudhole MLA Vittal Reddy when he visited the low-lying areas that were flooded in Bhainsa and expressed anger over the huge delay in completion of Palsikar Rangarao project.
Standing crops cotton, Soya and red gram were badly affected and shattered the hopes of farmers, who expected a good cotton crop this season.
