YS Jagan Visits Flood-affected Areas in Pithapuram

Hyderabad: YSRCP Chief and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited flood-affected villages of Pithapuram in Andhra Padesh on Friday. He toured villages including Madhavapuram, Nagulapalli, and Ramanakkapeta in the Pithapuram constituency of Kakinada district. During his visit, he interacted with the affected villagers, offering his support and inquiring about the losses they had suffered due to the severe flooding from the Yeleru reservoir.

Speaking to the media after interacting with flood-affected victims in Ramanakkapeta village, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed concerns over the State government's handling of the Yeleru flood situation, comparing it to the recent floods in Vijayawada, and questioning the lack of proper flood management. He criticized the government for failing to take preventive measures despite early cyclone warnings, noting that no review meetings were held and special officers were not appointed to manage the crisis in the affected districts.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy raised concerns over the poor management of the Yeleru reservoir, which has a capacity of nearly 23 TMC. He questioned why, despite receiving an inflow of 9,950 cusecs on September 1, the government failed to take appropriate action. Excess water should have been released earlier, as the downstream canal can handle up to 14,000 cusecs. However, only 300 cusecs were released, even when the inflow rose to 5,400 cusecs by September 4. This lack of action led the reservoir to reach full capacity by September 9, leaving no buffer for further inflow. On September 10, 25,270 cusecs of water were released, far exceeding the canal’s capacity and resulting in severe flooding downstream.

He slammed the TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu for the mismanagement of the Yeleru floods, emphasizing that these were man-made floods caused by the mishandling of the reservoir under Naidu’s government. He held the previous administration responsible for not releasing water in time, which ultimately led to the disaster, stating that it was a preventable crisis that occurred solely due to negligence. YS Jagan further criticized Chandrababu Naidu for continuously blaming him for every issue in the state, even four months after the TDP coalition came into power, attempting to shift the blame for their mismanagement.

Regarding the modernization of the Yeleru canal, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy highlighted that the project was first initiated by the late former Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2008 with an allocation of Rs138 crore. He pointed out that no further work was done on the project after 2014, despite estimations being increased. He explained that the YSRCP government faced challenges due to continuous rainfall, which delayed modernization efforts, but questioned why similar work was not carried out during Chandrababu Naidu's tenure, when there were no such weather challenges.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also highlighted the challenges faced by farmers, emphasizing the strong support systems that were in place under his government. He pointed to initiatives like Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), crop insurance schemes, and input subsidies designed to provide comprehensive aid to farmers during difficult times. He mentioned that during crop damage under the previous administration, the YSRCP government provided up to Rs45,000 per hectare in assistance, which included investment aid, zero-interest crop loans, and insurance payouts.

He criticised the TDP coalition government's promise of Rs10,000 per acre in compensation for crop loss, questioning how this amount could be provided without key support systems like RBKs, e-cropping, crop insurance, or other mechanisms in place. He expressed concern that without these structures, farmers were left vulnerable, with no investment assistance or insurance coverage to help them recover from losses. He emphasised the importance of having a well-structured support system to protect farmers during times of crisis.