Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anitha addressing the media, at the Collector’s office in Vijayawada on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anitha has said an inquiry is under way to find out how the boats crashed into the gates of the Prakasam Barrage.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) officials had lodged a complaint with the NTR Commissionerate Police on September 6, wherein they said that nobody came forward to claim the boats so far.
Four boats had drifted in the floodwaters from the upstream of the barrage and crashed into three gates, damaging the counterweight of one of them (Gate No.69). While one of the boats was washed away, the remaining got struck at the gates.
“The police are inquiring into the case and suspects are being questioned. There are several doubts,” Ms. Anitha told the media here on September 8 (Sunday).
While referring to the ongoing massive relief measures in the flood-affected areas, Ms. Anitha accused the former Chief Minister, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, of not helping the victims in Vijayawada and other parts of the State.
“When Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Ministers, bureaucrats, NGOs and other organisations are providing succour, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is sitting in Bengaluru without any responsibility,” she said.
The Home Minister said the relief and rehabilitation works were going on in full swing under the supervision of Mr. Naidu.
On permission for setting up Lord Ganesh pandals, Ms. Anitha said the previous YSRCP government had issued a G.O. in 2022, allowing collection of some amount from the organisers for setting up the pandals and loud speakers.
“Now, the State government has revoked the G.O. and issued directions to the officials concerned not to collect any such amount from the Ganesh Utsav Committees and the organisers,” the Home Minister said.
Published – September 08, 2024 08:59 pm IST
