Kukunoor Mandal Residents To Vacate Houses Temporarily
The residents are underlining that after the launch of Polavaram project works, they have been facing difficulties every time there is a flood in Godavari during the past 10 years
Kakinada:Residents of Kukunoor mandal in Eluru district have decided to vacate their houses temporarily to avoid difficulties during the floods in Godavari River, including the one recently. However, their evacuation is getting delayed due to shortage of vehicles for carrying their belongings to the Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) Colony.
The residents are underlining that after the launch of Polavaram project works, they have been facing difficulties every time there is a flood in Godavari during the past 10 years. They move to floor relief centres every time the flood comes and return to their dwellings after the floods recede.
This time, people from Gommugudem, Repaka Gummu and other villages in Kukunoor have decided to shift their residence for four to five months to the R&R colonies in Dacharam and Tadvai villages. However, they will be returning to their villages once there is no chance of floods recurring again.
Following this, officials shifted 160 families of Gommugudem to Dacharam R&R Colony on Saturday. Special officer of Kukunoor mandal M. Sri Hari told Deccan Chronicle that people of some villages in the mandal are shifting to the R&R colonies “semi-permanently” for 4–5 months. He said 90 families from Lachigudem and Repakagommu villages will be shifted to the colony on Sunday.
The special officer said hand pumps, borewells and about 30 toilets are being set up in the colony, so that people do not face any inconvenience. Further, ration will be issued for three months to the evacuees.
In Velerupadu, the situation is different. The overflowing Yeddu Vagu has cut off 15 villages in the mandal. Two SDRF teams, consisting of 35 personnel each, arrived in Kukunoor and Velerupadu mandals on Saturday to assist in flood rehabilitation activities.
Eluru district collector K. Vetri Selvi is monitoring the situation continuously and ensuring that officials take all precautionary steps in the flood-hit areas, including cleaning and fogging operations.
At the Polavaram project, water levels are rising even as 7.18 lakh cusecs of water has been discharged downstream towards the Dowleswaram barrage. Water levels have reached 10.69 feet at the barrage.
