Every farmer affected by Cyclone Montha will get compensation, says Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan

Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan said on Thursday that crops in 1.38 lakh hectares were damaged in the State due to Cyclone Montha, 46,000 ha in Krishna district alone, as per preliminary estimates.

Nearly 56,000 farmers were affected in Krishna district alone, he stated during a visit to the cyclone-hit areas in Avanigadda constituency, when he assured that every affected farmer would receive compensation from the government and all possible support extended to them.

Inspecting agricultural fields and locations where the cyclone wreaked havoc, Mr. Kalyan said the government could effectively deal with the calamity due to advance preparations. The damages could be mitigated due to meticulous planning done under the stewardship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, he asserted.

Mr. Kalyan said officials tracked the movements of the cyclone round the clock, and took necessary precautions. Monitoring the situation through the RTGS Centre played a key role in tackling the impact of the cyclone. About 1.16 lakh people were shifted to rehabilitation centres and their safety was ensured, he said, promising to take problems faced by the tenant farmers to the Chief Minister’s notice.

Roads damaged

He said 274 km of roads under the jurisdiction of the Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Department were initially found to be damaged and a comprehensive assessment was underway.

Stagnated water in the low-lying areas was being cleared, and super sanitation and super chlorination drives were launched in the villages to prevent the outbreak of diseases. A total of 21,055 workers were engaged in sanitation and relief operations. Alternative arrangements were being made to supply clean drinking water, wherever disruptions happened.

Mr. Kalyan said the damaged outfall sluice on the sea embankment at Koduru would be reconstructed with NABARD support and that the Edurumondi–Gollamanda Road, which provides access to the Edurumondi island, would be reinforced at a cost of approximately ₹14 crore to benefit the people of five villages.

Ministers Kollu Ravindra and V. Subhash, MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry, MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad, APSRTC Chairman Konakalla Narayana Rao, Krishna District Special Officer & AP Tourism Development Corporation MD K. Amrapali, District Collector D.K. Balaji, and SP V. Vidyasagar Naidu were present.