CM's aerial surveys are ritualistic: Chandrababu Naidu

Tirupati: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu visited the 'Rayalacheruvu' on Wednesday evening as part of his tour to flood-hit areas in Tirupati and surrounding areas. He found fault with the officials in identifying the danger to the tank.

He spoke to the engineers who were engaged in the filling of the breach to the bund. When they told Naidu that they could not notice the leakage of water from the tank as the trees surrounded it, he called it horrible.

Naidu felt that the Ministers should sit at the tank bund and monitor the works and they even failed in assuring the people that there was no danger to the tank. Due to the failure of the officials, the people spent sleepless nights. He recalled his long association with the Rayalacheruvu (tank).

Before this, Chandragiri police served notice to TDP Chittoor Parliamentary president Pulivarthi Nani refusing permission for Naidu to visit Rayalacheruvu citing security reasons to the tank bund. They stated that the entire tank area was declared a danger zone and permission could not be given. However, Naidu decided to ignore the notices and proceeded to visit the tank.

Interestingly, when he was leaving the tank, Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy who was sitting on the bund there wished him with folded hands. Naidu responded to this from the vehicle.

Earlier, visiting several flood-affected areas in Tirupati, Tiruchanoor, Yerpedu and Srikalahasti, Naidu lashed out at Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy saying that he was making ritualistic aerial surveys which are of no use. If the Chief Minister acts like this, the officials will also follow suit and may not be properly involved in relief activities. He visited a photo gallery on crop losses and damages to bridges and roads. Naidu made a visit to Swarnamukhi bridge which collapsed on Papanaidupet and Gudimallam road.

He observed that the devastation was caused due to poor maintenance of water bodies and unchecked sand mafia. The man-made errors have caused breaches to several tanks. The government should have woken up early and released the water from the tanks to the link canals which would have avoided the devastation.

Naidu found fault with the Agriculture Minister for advising farmers not to cultivate paddy. He asked them to advise whether they should cultivate ganja alternatively? What right they have to say that paddy should not be grown, he asked.

Referring to the personal attacks on his wife on the floor of the House, he said that as a human he too has emotions. As he was denied the mic in the 'Kuru Sabha' he wanted to go to the people's court. TDP will continue its fight for the sake of the people, he asserted.

The TDP chief said the "opportunistic Chief Minister" has reversed his stand on the three capitals and abolition of Legislative Council and announced that a new Bill would be soon brought for the three capitals. How can the decisions be changed every time on such important policies, he questioned.