Centre urged to assess rain havoc damages

The state government has requested the Centre to instruct the touring central team in Coastal Andhra to assess the damages or losses suffered by the people in the rain-affected areas of the coastal districts.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah told media persons at the Secretariat on Wednesday that though the central team was touring the affected districts, they had no clear instructions to make an assessment of the losses caused due to the heavy rains the region has witnessed during the past few days.

Mr Rosaiah revealed that he had asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to issue specific instructions to the central team to assess the damages.

The Chief Minister also informed that he was pursuing the matter with the Central government on phone. Further, as part of the help, district officials were clearly instructed to draw money under Treasury 27 and disburse cash to the needy people without waiting for government sanction.

Mr Rosaiah was speaking after chairing a review meeting with the top officials concerned at the Secretariat.

The district Collectors have been advised to extend any help and to further assure the needy that the Government was behind them. The Chief Minister spoke to the district Collectors of Srikakulam and Nellore in this connection. 

Mr Rosaiah also stated that he would undertake an aerial survey of the coastal districts on Thursday. If weather permits, the helicopter would land at one or two place where the Chief Minister would interact with the people, to restore confidence among them. He would also review the relief and rehabilitation measures first-hand.

The Chief Minister would tour East and West Godavari, Krishna and Srikakulam districts, accompanied by Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao.

Mr Rosaiah revealed the seriousness of the situation when, after landing at the airport on Tuesday night, straight away discussed the situation with Chief Secretary SV Prasad and other top officials of Agriculture, Roads and Buildings, Panchayat Raj and other Departments.

At a time when the government was awaiting a bumper crop under Rabi, the cyclone had battered their hopes, Mr Rosaiah said.

The Chief Minister said for the last four or five days the incessant rains caused havoc in the coastal districts. Amalapuram has received the maximum rainfall, he said, and the district administration has been put on alert as the cyclone may hit again.