2 Crore Each Released to Cyclone-hit Districts in AP

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would release Rs.2 crore to each district hit by cyclone Michaung, to take up emergency works. SPs and collectors have been advised by the CM to urgently initiate measures to avoid loss of life and provide a financial assistance of Rs.10,000 if houses and huts are damaged due to the rain and floods.

The officials have also been advised to make crop loss estimates and give compensation without delay.

The Chief Minister reviewed the cyclone impact with higher officials on Monday and said he would visit the flood-affected areas at the field level after the impact of the storm subsided.

He instructed district collectors, SPs and officials of various departments to be on the high alert and take up relief measures.

Holding a review meeting in virtual mode from the camp office here on Monday, the Chief Minister asked officials to treat the cyclone as a major challenge and take necessary steps to avoid loss of life and property.

The cyclonic winds were expected to blow at a speed of over 110 km.

Collectors of Tirupati, SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, BR Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts explained the relief and rescue preparedness in their respective districts.

The Chief Minister said special officers have been appointed for all cyclone-affected districts. A sum of Rs.2 crore each has been released for rescue and relief works, he said.

"The special officers will work in close coordination with the collectors. If more funds are needed, the government will comply with the request," Jagan Mohan Reddy said, adding that collectors could seek any other support in due course.

He said, "As the official machinery has the experience of tackling cyclones like Hud Hud, it should gear up in advance and take measures on a war-footing to avoid loss of human lives and livestock. The official machinery should avail the services of village and ward secretariat staff and volunteers in relief and rescue



operations."

"If the civic amenities like drinking water, food and power supply are adversely affected in any area, these should be restored immediately in saturation mode in all affected areas."

The Chief Minister told the officials that he would visit the affected places and there should be no cause for complaints from people on the relief measures taken by the collectors.

He also directed them to provide all necessary essentials like drinking water and food to the victims besides ensuing proper sanitation in relief camps to avoid health hazards.

"When the victims leave the relief camps, assistance of Rs.1,000 and Rs.2,500 should be given to each individual and family respectively. Some 25 kg of rice and essentials of red gram, palm oil, potato and onions of 1 kg each should be given to those whose houses are submerged. If pucca and thatched houses are damaged in the cyclone, they should be compensated with Rs.10,000 each."

When the officials said 97,000 tonnes of paddy have been procured and 6.5 lakh tonnes of paddy shifted to safer places in the view of the cyclone, the CM said all types of discoloured and wet paddy also should be procured to avoid Kharif crop loss to farmers. Officials should educate the farmers on safeguarding the crop that was not yet harvested.

Officials should stand by the farmers and extend all possible help with humanity, the CM told them, suggesting that enumeration of crop loss should be done when the cyclone effect receded.

The officials said that five NDRF and five SDRF teams were deployed in vulnerable areas. Out of the required 308 camps, 181 relief camps have been opened and people are being shifted from vulnerable areas.

The Chief Minister said that steps should be taken to open the rest of the camps also.

Officials should be ready to attend to emergency services like shifting pregnant women, lactating mothers and the aged to hospitals for necessary medical treatment, Jagan Mohan Reddy added.