Telangana ministers visit flood-hit areas in Warangal, Godavari water recedes

File Photo (IANS)

Hyderabad: Four Telangana ministers on Tuesday visited the flood-affected areas of Warangal town while the receding water level in the Godavari river provided some respite to the people at Bhadrachalam.

Minister for Municipal administration KT Rama Rao and Minister for Health Eatala Rajender flew to Warangal from Hyderabad in a helicopter and conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas.

Later they were joined by two other ministers, E Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod and all of them visited some inundated colonies in the town and met the affected people.

Rama Rao assured the people that the government will take the necessary measures for a permanent solution to flooding of the residential areas. He directed the officials to make a detailed study of the problem and submit a report.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, announced remodelling of the drainage system at a cost of Rs 10 crore. He said encroachments on open drains would be removed to clear the obstructions to the flow of rainwater.

With some colonies in Warangal town still flooded, the municipal authorities shifted people to makeshift relief camps and arranged food and drinking water for them.

KTR and Eatala Rajender later visited the government-run MGM Hospital in Warangal and met some COVID patients undergoing treatment. They announced that 150 more beds would be provided at the hospital along with oxygen and ventilators for the treatment of COVID patients.

KTR also assured the people that KMC Superspeciality Hospital would soon be made available as another COVID facility.

Meanwhile, the water level came down in the Godavari river at Bhadrachalam providing some relief to people in the inundated areas. The water level, which had crossed 60 feet on Monday, receded to 54.4 feet on Tuesday.

Heavy rains during the last five days have led to a flood-like situation in some parts of the state. Rivulets, streams and lakes were overflowing in several districts, cutting-off interior villages.

Officials said the situation was under control but a high alert continued in view of the forecast of more rain over the next three to four days under the impact of a low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal.