Be prepared, issue timely alerts to public over flood situation, Naidu instructs officials

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a high-level review meeting with top officials on Friday to assess the flood situation in the Krishna and Godavari rivers, the availability of fertilizers, and the recent gas leak incident near Kakinada.

The meeting was conducted via teleconference from Delhi with Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, and senior officials.

Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the heavy inflows into major reservoirs. Currently, 5.20 lakh cusecs of water is being released from Srisailam, 4.32 lakh cusecs from Nagarjuna Sagar, 4.07 lakh cusecs from Pulichintala, and 4.53 lakh cusecs from the Prakasam Barrage. Meanwhile, in the Godavari river, 13.42 lakh cusecs are being discharged from the Dowleswaram Barrage.

Connectivity to several island villages and Polavaram submergence areas has been cut off due to rising waters. 

Mr. Naidu directed officials to maintain round-the-clock vigilance, keep the public informed with timely alerts, and prioritise preventive measures over reactive responses. He stressed that preparedness is essential to reduce public hardship and instructed that verified flood-related updates must reach people’s mobile phones to avoid misinformation.

Fertilizer supply

Reviewing agricultural needs, the Chief Minister emphasised strict measures to prevent fertilizer shortages. He warned that stern action would be taken against those creating artificial scarcity or diverting stocks. 

Vigilance officials were asked to monitor supplies closely, ensuring fertilizers reach farmers at fair prices. Any shortage reports, he said, must be personally verified and resolved by senior officers from the State to the field level.

Gas leak

The Chief Minister also took stock of the ONGC gas pipeline leak that occurred near Dhariyalathippa in Tallarevu mandal of Kakinada district. Officials explained that flames erupted around 1:30 a.m. following a gas leak, but the supply was cut off within 90 minutes, and the situation was brought under control without any loss of life or property. 

Mr. Naidu instructed authorities to conduct a thorough inspection of the pipeline and take preventive measures to ensure nearby villagers are not put at risk.