No flood threat to Amaravati from Krishna; govt building 3 reservoirs: Ponguru Narayana

Amaravati: Coming down heavily on propagandists, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Ponguru Narayana said Amaravati is a very safe place and asked the people not to believe the misinformation campaign being spread by YSRCP leaders.

"The previous government with certain political motives had resorted to propaganda and there is no problem. Amaravati is a safe place," Narayana told media persons.

The Minister also clarified that the capital city will not face any flooding from Krishna River.

To be on the safe side, the state government is taking up the construction of reservoirs and necessary canals to prevent any kind of floods to Amaravati in the future, he said.

The Minister said that the previous government not only resorted to propaganda that Amaravati was not fit to be the capital. It also wrote to the World Bank not to release any kind of funds for the capital.

Though Krishna River has received 11.43 lakh cusecs of flood flow, Amaravati is safe. At the time of capital design, the building of reservoirs and canals was proposed, he added. In the coming rainy season all the proposed three canals spreading over an extent of 48.3 km will be completed as tenders are being called very soon, the Minister informed.

Also, the construction of three reservoirs is being taken up and once these reservoirs and canals are completed, he stated.

Observing that the construction of the buildings in the capital region taken up during 2014 and 2019 came to a grinding halt, he said that the TDP-led NDA government has sought the opinion of IIT experts from Hyderabad and Chennai. The report has already been submitted to the government.

Besides, the iconic buildings like the state secretariat, the high court, and the 3,600 apartments being built for government employees are safe. The experts felt that the construction of these buildings could be taken up further.

"We are calling for tenders in the coming couple of months for taking up the completion of these buildings," Narayana maintained. Admitting that the jungle clearance works have been stalled due to the floods, he said that this will be completed soon.

The Minister said that the Rs 175 crore will be credited to the accounts of farmers who have donated lands for the capital, he said.

Narayana said that if anyone comes forward to give land under land pooling, he will go to personally receive it. The Minister also said that the deadline for paying taxes to the state government by the citizens of Vijayawada will be extended.