Godavari swells, three districts in Telangana put on alert
HYDERABAD: Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday directed officials of Karimnagar,Warangal and Khammam districts to be on alert in view of the threat of flooding due to swollen Godavari river.He, however, said, despite both Godavari and Krishna rivers being in spate, there was no immediate threat to villages downstream of various projects in the state. The two rivers have been receiving heavy inflows from upstream Maharashtra and Karnataka states.
Rao, who visited Karimnagar district, conducted an aerial survey of Mid Manair Dam(MMD) and other rain-affected areas. He also held a review meeting with officials on the situation arising out of the heavy rains and flooding.
So far, 11 people have died in rain-related incidents in Telangana. While eight deaths were reported in Medak district, three were from Warangal.
Water from the underconstruction MMD in Karim nagar started overflowing from the bund and the earthen embankment got breached, resulting in floods in the area.
Seeking to assure people from villages downstream of MMD, who had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure, the CM said though 130 metres of MMD structure was damaged, there was no need to panic even if there were more rains.
With the project work remaining incomplete even 10 years after contracts were awarded, Chandrasekhar Rao directed officials to cancel the contracts and call for fresh bids. He asked officials to come up with stringent guidelines for awarding irrigation project contracts. “Since the government is offering compensation under GO 123 for acquiring properties for MMD, work should be completed without any delay. Mid Manair Dam works are crucial for completing the Kaleshwaram project,” chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said. The chief minister called for specific alert for the flood-prone Bhadrachalam in Khammam district and Ramannagudem in Warangal district, and told officials to be in touch with their Maharashtra and Karnataka counterparts to assess the flood situation and take steps accordingly.
The chief minister couldn’t contain his happiness over filling up of lakes and tanks in the state due to heavy rains.