The Krishna District Administration has appealed to the Inter-ministerial Central team to sanction a relief of Rs.520 crore for damages arising out of Nilam Cyclone. A four-member team headed by Union Ministry of Home Affairs Joint Secretary K.K. Pathak was in the district, on Friday, to assess the damage caused by the heavy rain, flood and winds caused by Nilam Cyclone in November.
District Collector Budhaprakash M. Jyothi in a power-point presentation said that the total damage in the district was Rs.603.50 crore and sought a financial assistance of Rs.520 crore. The Collector said that the loss suffered by Agriculture and allied sectors (horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries) was Rs.106 crore and the damage to infrastructure and housing was Rs.497 crore.
Giving a break-up of the relief sought under different heads, the Collector said that Rs.11.80 crore was needed as relief for the agriculture sector, Rs.1.06 crore to horticulture sector, Rs.18.56 lakh for fisheries, Rs.30.50 lakh for housing, Rs.61 lakh for essential commodities, Rs.13 lakh towards expenditure in relief camps and Rs.3 lakh for payment of gratuitous relief (ex gratia).
Infrastructure damage
With regard to damage to infrastructure, the Collector said that Rs.17.65 crore was required for the temporary restoration of roads and buildings and Rs.83.7 crore for their permanent restoration. For the temporary restoration of Panchayat Raj infrastructure Rs.61 crore was required and for permanent restoration Rs.266 crore.
The Central team visited areas that were inundated by Budameru rivulet which went into spate after the downpour caused by Nilam.
The team went to Rotary Nagar and interacted with the residents. They got a bird’s eye view of the Budameru water course from the Chenumolu Venkata Rao flyover (Milk factory flyover). They saw the extensive damage done to the Tunnel Road, housing in Indira Nayak Colony and the paddy crop in fields on Gudavalli-Jekkulanekkalam Road.
