Union Minister Chouhan undertakes aerial survey of flood-hit Khammam, meets farmers

Hyderabad, Sep 6 (IANS) Union Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Khammam district in Telangana and assured all possible assistance to farmers.  

Accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, he surveyed flood-affected Khammam, Paleru, and Madhira areas.

The central ministers surveyed areas which were flooded due to the overflowing Munneru Rivulet in Khammam.

After landing near Paleru main canal, the Deputy Chief Minister showed Shivraj Singh Chouhan the damage to the Khammam-Suryapet highway due to a breach in the canal.

Chouhan and Bandi Sanjay later attended a meeting with farmers. State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Revenue Minister P. Srinivasa Reddy were also present. Chouhan interacted with the farmers, who told him that they lost everything in these floods. As a farmer broke down while speaking about the losses he suffered, the Union Minister stood up from his seat, called the farmer on the dais, and consoled him.

Farmers urged him to announce a special package to help them. Chouhan told farmers that like them he is also a farmer. “I also do cultivation. I know your pain,” he said. He said this was the worst flood in 100 years, and crops like paddy and chilli have suffered 100 per cent damage.

The Union Agriculture Minister said that the Central government stands with the state in this crisis time. He assured farmers that both the Central and state governments would help them come out of this crisis. He alleged that the previous government in the state diverted the Central funds for cheap popularity, not utilising State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) funds or implementing the Central schemes.

"We have not come here for politics. We have come to serve the people and to help the farmers," he said.

Chouhan appreciated the state government for the preventive measures taken by it saying this minimised the loss of lives. The Union Minister earlier visited a photo exhibition organised by the state government at Navodaya School to highlight the damages caused by heavy rains and floods that wreaked havoc in the region early this week. The Deputy Chief Minister explained to the Union Agriculture Minister the extent of damages in Khammam, Mahabubabad, and Suryapet districts.

After the interaction with farmers, Chouhan along with Bandi Sanjay reached Hyderabad. They will attend a review meeting at the state secretariat with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Before arriving in Telangana, Chouhan made an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Vijayawada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. He also visited Krishna district on Friday and assessed the crop damage.