Chandrababu Naidu demands judicial probe into breach of Rayalacheruvu tank

Tirupati: Despite alerts from the MET department on heavy rains in the State, the government failed to act leading to large-scale devastation including loss of precious lives, said TDP chief and opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu here on Thursday.

Speaking to mediapersons after winding up his one-day hectic visit to rain-affected areas of Chittoor district here on Thursday, Naidu said lack of experience coupled with arrogance on the part of rulers turned a curse on the people, observing that it is the government inefficiency that caused the large-scale destruction.

The disaster management totally failed in mitigating the sufferings of the people adding more to their woes, he said claiming that by swift action his government was able to provide relief during Hudhud cyclone when 250-km speed gusty winds lashed Vizag area.

On the Cheyyeru dam breach, he said poor quality in Pincha and Annamayya project works coupled with the interests shown to protect the sand contractors business played havoc in Cheyyeru area of Rajampet which witnessed loss of human lives, huge loss to property and crop damage.

Criticising the government for its improper handling of Rayalacheruvu breach, he said the government failed to ward off the fear that gripped the people after the breach of Rayalacheruvu, adding that the authorities also failed to let out the excess water from the tank aggravating the panic in the villages near the tank.

"It is a man-made mistake,'' he said, demanding a judicial enquiry on the breach to the historic tank, one of the biggest in the State, and observed that those responsible for it should be punished.

Sadly, he further said the Chief Minister was gloating in the Assembly and enjoying the flattery from his partymen even as the people were floundering in the devastating floods in many districts.

Seeking ex gratia of 25 lakh each to the 60 persons who died in heavy rains and flash floods, he also wanted to increase the immediate relief from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 and also hike in compensation for crop loss. He demanded that the government announce through the media the compensation it proposes for the affected and also the amount spent so far from the disaster management fund.

Slamming Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for his apathy on providing relief to the flood-affected families, Naidu said, "After his father's death, for four years in the name of Odarpu, he went around the State but now he has not bothered to visit the flood victims."

With regard to Tirupati, which witnessed flash floods in the recent rain, he urged the government to take up diversion of Kapilatheertham water from the city to Swarnamukhi to check flooding of localities on the banks of the stream.