Declare floods in state as ‘national calamity’: CM

Vijayawada, Oct 9 :

Citing overall loss of Rs 12,600 crore due to floods along the Krishna and Tungabhadra river system, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said that he would urge the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to treat it as a ‘national calamity’ and release funds generously for relief, rehabilitation and restoration works. Talking to media persons at Gannavaram Airport, the chief Minister said that he would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, highlighting the heavy damage to the public and private infrastructure, requiring immediate Centre’s intervention and huge financial resources for restoration. He said the flood loss in the state was yet to be estimated. After estimating the flood loss, the government would submit a complete report to the Centre and demand more funds for taking rehabilitation and restoration works.

As the prime minister is arriving to the Vijayawada to conduct an aerial survey in flood hit areas of Krishna and Guntur, the chief minister has convened a meeting with officials over the flood situation and relief operations. The chief minister would explain to the Prime Minister over the flood loss in state and seeks immediate release of funds for rehabilitation works. Photographs of flood were exhibited at the Gannavaram airport.