‘Encroachment of nalas led to flooding in Hyderabad’

Ministers, elected representatives from Hyderabad assure all support to the flood-affected families

Hyderabad: Ministers and elected representatives representing Hyderabad city have come together to express solidarity and support to the flood-affected citizens. They also assured all help on behalf of the State government as well as thanked Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for announcing Rs 550 crore financial package for relief and restoration works in the flood-affected areas of Hyderabad.

Speaking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan here on Monday, Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said the State capital was witnessing such unprecedented heavy rains for the first time in over the last 112 years. He attributed the reasons for flooding to encroachment of tanks, nalas and parks as well as illegal constructions in low-lying areas during the regime of the previous governments. All efforts are being made to rescue and rehabilitate the flood-affected families, he added.

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Pointing out that the Chief Minister announced a financial package, the Minister admitted that the objective was only to provide some solace and no government can compensate for the loss as well as suffering of the flood-affected families who had all their household items submerged in rain water. He urged people affected by the floods not to lose hope as the State government was ready to provide them all support to restore normalcy in their lives.

“The State government enacted strong laws to prevent illegal and unauthorised constructions in Hyderabad city after the State formation. Majority of such structures were constructed during the previous governments’ regime in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. The opposition parties who were responsible for these structures are now trying to blame the TRS government to wash off their hands,” he said.

Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali said all the elected representatives including Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao and other Cabinet Ministers have remained on the streets to oversee the relief and rescue measures. He said the Ministers as well as the officials were working overtime to ensure that there was no loss of life during these unprecedented rains. “These are unprecedented times with an unprecedented calamity. Amid forecast of more rains, people should remain cautious and shift to safer places rather than seeking to stay in low-lying and unsafe areas. We urge people to cooperate with the officials,” he said.

Labour Minister Ch Malla Reddy said notwithstanding the social media trolling and criticism from the opposition parties, the entire State administration including the Ministers, MLAs, and GHMC corporators along with the officials are working round-the-clock. He stated that all these elected representatives as well as the officials were working during extraordinary times and have been striving to reach out to the needy. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we all have been working round-the-clock. These heavy rains have only worsened the situation,” he said.

GHMC Mayor Bothu Rammohan termed the heavy rains and the successive floods as a natural calamity which could not have been prevented by the State government. However, he pointed out that the entire State administration had responded swiftly to such a disaster indicating their preparedness to conduct rescue and relief operations. He said against normal rain days of 28-29 days, the Hyderabad city had about 91 rain days during this monsoon season and is likely to have more. Explaining the gravity of the situation, he urged people not to insist on staying in their homes as more rains are being predicted over next couple of days and also cooperate with the officials.

MLAs Danam Nagender, Maganti Gopinath, Kale Yadaiah and other MLAs from Hyderabad city advised the BJP leaders against making irresponsible allegations. They suggested that if the BJP leaders had any concern for people of Hyderabad, they should get their national leaders at the Centre declare the floods as a national calamity and get necessary funds sanctioned to extend relief measures. They urged Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Secunderabad MP G Kishan Reddy to take the lead and support the State government in the latter’s efforts to help the flood-affected citizens.

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