Army, local officials working on war footing to close Budameru breaches in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: The Engineering Task Force of the Indian Army has arrived here and is working on war footing to close the breaches of Budameru, a rivulet in Vijayawada, which wreaked havoc in the city with floods, the state government said on Friday.

Two breaches have been closed and the most difficult third breach is being worked on by the task force, along with the state government machinery.

"The Engineering Task Force of the Indian Army is engaged in closing the breaches. Two breaches have been closed by officials on a war footing and with the cooperation of Army officials, the most difficult third breach is being worked upon," said the release.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with officials on Friday and enquired about the progress being made in closing the breaches.

He directed officials to close the third breach as soon as possible by roping in all the departments and also checked about power restoration, telecom signal connectivity and drinking water supply through tankers.

The CM also enquired about the distribution of six essential necessities to flood victims and the officials informed him that the things were packed, and the distribution had begun.

A fleet of vehicles has already been readied on Vijayawada BRTS road to distribute the essentials, which include 25 kg of rice, 1 kg dal, 1kg sugar, 2 kg onions, 2 kg of potatoes and 1 litre of cooking oil for the victims.

Civil Supplies Minister N Manohar said that 1,200 vehicles have been readied for distribution.

In the wake of widespread flood damage to vehicles and electric appliances, Naidu observed that technicians should be called from other places for repairs.

"If needed, give some compensation to technicians and mechanics from other places," said Naidu in an release while reviewing relief work with senior officials on the sixth day of the deluge.

Similarly, he also enquired about sanitation work and the deployment of fire engines to clean roads, colonies and houses from the mud and slush dumped by the deluge.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met with flood-affected farmers at Kesarapalli village, accompanied by Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu, Minister of State for Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and others. Atchannaidu explained to the union minister about the damage in the flood-hit areas.

The farmers appealed for immediate Central help and the union minister promised compensation as soon as possible, while Atchannaidu assured help for every acre to save the farmers.

Meanwhile, a first-level warning has been issued at Dowleswaram as the Godavari river is receiving flood inflows, prompting Atchannaidu to hold an urgent review meeting with agriculture officials. He directed officials in six districts to be on alert.