The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Saturday adopted a unanimous resolution requesting the Central government to treat the Hudhud cyclone that ravaged north coastal districts on October 12 as a “national calamity” and extend full scale assistance to the State to restore normalcy and facilitate development in the four districts of the coast.
The Assembly thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Centre, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, other State governments that helped in relief operations and the Central team that visited the affected areas for their contributions.
Speaking on the resolution, Mr. Naidu said the State government insisted on Central assistance though loans were promised by various agencies because the loan component in works could not exceed three per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product.
The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank were ready to give a loan of Rs 10,000 to 12,000 crore, he added.
He explained the strenuous efforts of the government to tackle the cyclone with a wind speed of 225 km per hour though the forecast was that the speed would be 160 to 170 kmph.
It was the first time that such a ferocious calamity was encountered. Life came to a standstill.
The government procured 2,400 tonnes of potatoes and onions each from West Bengal and Kurnool respectively and ferried them by helicopters and distributed them in cyclone- hit areas.
The material was supplied to victims without the involvement of middlemen, Mr. Naidu said.
He regretted that the Opposition failed to acknowledge the role of the government in dealing with the situation that arose at a time when the post-bifurcation issues were still to be settled.
Leader of Opposition Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy criticised that there was no connect between issues of the cyclone and the debate in the House as the government targeted his father and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinarajappa said there were no complaints over distribution of food supplies.
Araku YSRC MLA K. Sarveswara Rao highlighted his 50 km walk in the valley on that day and said the government made no arrangements to rescue the tribals in the agency.
