Cyclone Montha: AP CM urges Centre to release relief funds

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu urged a central team assessing Cyclone Montha damage to recommend immediate release of relief funds, estimating losses at Rs 6,384 crore. The cyclone damaged crops, houses, power lines, aquaculture, and displaced over 1.1 lakh families

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged a visiting central team assessing cyclone Montha damage to recommend immediate release of relief funds, estimating the state’s losses at Rs 6,384 crore.

The team, led by Pausumi Basu, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, met Naidu at his camp office.

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“Naidu urged the central team to come to the rescue of cyclone victims through their recommendations on crop and property loss due to Montha cyclone,” a press release said.

Naidu told the team that the severe cyclone had battered roads, power lines, crops, aquaculture and other sectors across the State.

A PowerPoint presentation by State officials showed that 1.6 lakh hectares of crops were damaged, nearly 10,000 houses were submerged, and 1.1 lakh families were displaced.

The central team informed the Chief Minister that it had visited the affected districts of Konaseema, East Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, Prakasam and Bapatla, and assured that its report would be submitted to the centre within a few days.

Naidu also urged the team to recommend that the centre procure rain-affected paddy and sanction funds to check coastal erosion—Rs 323 crore for Uppada near Kakinada, Rs 203 crore for Visakhapatnam, and Rs 98 crore for Srikakulam district.

He further sought Rs 12 crore for lightning arrest systems and Rs 18 crore for fireproofing equipment in forests, the release added.