Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari met with a central team led by Col K P Singh to discuss the damage caused by heavy rains in the state. The rains, which occurred between August 31st and September 3rd, caused widespread destruction across many areas.
The central team, consisting of six members, held talks with the Chief Secretary and other senior officials at the Secretariat. Santhi Kumari explained that although the weather alert was received late, the state government acted quickly to minimize the loss of human life. The Chief Minister regularly monitored the situation, and the Deputy Chief Minister, along with two other ministers, traveled to Khammam to oversee relief efforts. The state government also released funds immediately to help with relief measures.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari requested the central government to relax certain guidelines to allow the state to provide more extensive relief. She mentioned that the Chief Minister has ordered the formation of special teams, similar to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), for emergency rescue operations. She sought the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) help with training and logistical support for these teams. Santhi Kumari also raised concerns about the difficulties of conducting air rescue operations during heavy rains and asked for the central government’s assistance. Additionally, she highlighted the environmental damage in Eturnagaram, where 332 hectares of forest were affected by tree felling, and the central team recommended a detailed study to understand the cause.
Special Chief Secretary for Disaster Management, Arvind Kumar, provided an overview of the damage and the relief measures taken by the state government. He stated that the initial estimate of the damage is around ₹5,438 crores, though the actual assessment is still ongoing. Senior officials from various departments, including agriculture, roads and buildings, energy, and animal husbandry, gave presentations to the central team about the extent of the damage.
Earlier, the central team viewed a photo exhibition showcasing the destruction caused by the rains. The team is set to visit the flood-affected districts of Khammam and Mahbubabad to meet with the people impacted by the floods and to hold discussions with local authorities.
Several senior officials, including Special Chief Secretary Finance K Ramakrishna Rao, Special Chief Secretary TR&B Vikas Raj, and Additional Director General Mahesh Bhagwath, were present at the meeting. Other key officials from various state departments also attended the discussions.
