Flood relief: Cong refutes TDP's charges

Hyderabad, Aug 10 (UNI) The Congress in Andhra Pradesh today took strong exception to the Opposition Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) charge that the government had neglected flood relief works.

Talking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan here, party general secretary D Nagender said the state government had responded immediately and taken all measures to provide succour to the people.

He alleged that the TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu was making irresponsible statements and trying to politicise the calamity.

The Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had already visited the flood-hit districts and directed the officials to carry out relief and rescue operations, he said.

The government had already sanctioned Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of the deseased and taken measures to construct houses for those rendered homeless, Mr Nagender said.

He said the government had opened 450 relief camps evacuated nearly five lakh people besides supplying food, rice and medicines to them.

Official spokesperson and MLA G Muddu Krishnamma Naidu alleged that the TDP was taking advantage of every natural calamity to gain political mileage.

He said the TDP chief had not taken any measures, while he was in power, to strengthen the bunds at river Godavari to avoid breaches.

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