(rptg, adding dropped words in para five, line one)

Vijayawada, Aug 7 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Panchayatraj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy today said the loss due to the floods in Krishna district was estimated at Rs 7 crore.

Addressing a press conference here after visiting the flood ravaged areas, Mr Reddy said the loss was due to the damage of roads, electricity poles and irrigation tanks.

He commended the administration for the timely evacaution of 7,500 people from low-lying areas and housing them in 10 relief camps.

Mr Reddy, who was also the minister-incharge in the district to coordinate the relief works said the government was keen to find out a permanent solution for the inundation of houses.

An embankment at Ramalingeswarnagar would be constructed soon, at a cost of Rs 6.2 crore, he said.

An amount of Rs 1,250 would be disbursed to each evacuated family towards utensils, clothes and house repairs.

The state government would construct 15,000 houses for displaced and homeless people, with an outlay of Rs 1,20,000 for each house.

200 acre of land would be acquired, and works would start soon.

He expressed hope that the works would be over within 12 months.

Meanwhile, an official press release said about 3.97 lakh cusecs of surplus water was discharged into the Bay of Bengal till 1200 hrs.

An estimate said as many as 2,382 houses were fully or partially damaged and about 1550 houses were marooned, the release added.

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