In the wake of heavy rains lashing Telangana and the Meteorological Department’s warning of heavy rainfall in some districts of the State till July 13, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday directed all departments to be on high alert and take steps to prevent loss of life.
Rao, declaring a three-day holiday for educational institutions from July 11 in view of heavy rains, reviewed the situation, the measures taken so far and to be taken. He took stock of the situation at a high-level meeting with Ministers, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and other senior officials. The meeting was held at Pragathi Bhavan, Rao’s official residence complex-cum-camp office.
I had a meeting with Ministers, senior officials on rains and cyclonic effect. For another 4-5 days, heavy to very heavy rains in the State have been forecast. NDRF teams and government machinery are ready to face any situation. Air Force has been asked to keep two or three choppers ready besides the State government’s helicopter too, Rao told reporters. He asked officials to ensure minimal movement of people on roads and to take protective measures in low-lying areas and to prevent breaching of tanks. Rao, popularly known as KCR, instructed officials also to open control room in the State Secretariat and closely monitor the situation, an official release said.
Put up warning boards near causeways, he told the officials and requested the public to avoid movements. He instructed that people from old and dilapidated buildings must be relocated. He further asked the public representatives to be stationed at their respective places to oversee relief works. Rao said two people from Andhra Pradesh died in Nalgonda district on July 8 in wall-collapse incident and their families would be given Rs 3 lakh each as ex-gratia.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Secretary held a video conference with the Collectors of districts and studied the situation. He directed the Collectors to work in close coordination with all departments and see to it no untoward incident takes place.
The Chief Secretary said the Collectors should be on high alert and take steps to prevent loss of life, cattle or damage to any property, another official release said. He directed the Collectors also to set up control room in the Collectorates. Irrigation, Panchayat Raj, Municipal Administration and Energy Departments should ensure that no problems arise.
The Chief Secretary said heavy rains were reported in the districts of Asifabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Siricilla, Bhupalpally and Mulugu. As the tanks, ponds and reservoirs are in spate, officials should be on high alert and see to it that sandbags are kept ready if vulnerable tanks breach, he said.
People living in low-lying areas may be shifted to special camps, if necessary. Any damage to roads should be immediately repaired, he added. Special Chief Secretary-Energy Sunil Sharma, Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, Arvind Kumar and other officials participated in the video conference.
Waterlogging and inundation in low-lying areas in different districts were reported. Streams and rivulets were in spate. The Met centre here, in its daily report, said Kaleswaram in Jayashankar Bhupalapally district recorded 35 cm of rainfall followed by Kotapalle in Mancherial district 25 cm and Navipet in Nizamabad district 24 cm till 8.30 AM today. It said the South-West monsoon has been vigorous.
Extremely heavy rain occurred in isolated places in Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Peddapalle and heavy to very heavy rain occured at Adilabad, Jagityal, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Nirmal and Nizamabad districts, the report said. In its forecast, the Met centre said heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Peddapally, Jayashankar Bhupalapally districts till 8.30 AM on Monday.
Similarly, heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Jayashankar Bhupalapally districts from 8.30 AM on July 11 to 8.30 AM on July 12, the bulletin issued today said.
Heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Peddapally, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak and Kamareddy districts from 8.30 AM on July 12 to 8.30 AM on July 13, it further said. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad city police issued an advisory that in view of the expected heavy rainfall, the public should avoid non-essential travel and watch the weather and rain forecasts before venturing out.
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