CM directs Irrigation dept to take up repair work of KC canal

Hyderabad, June 29 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today directed Irrigation officials to take up the repair work of canal breaches in Kurnool and Kadapa districts immediately.

Reviewing the damage wrought by flash floods, relief and rehabilitation in the state, he directed the officials to formulate necessary proposals for carrying out the restoration works. The works should be started by January 2008, he added.

The total damage cost of all sectors is estimated at Rs 1,455 crore, including relief and rehabilitation.

The Disaster Management Commissioner said the number of deaths reported as on date in the 12 districts was 42, the highest number was 14 in Kurnool, seven in Guntur and four in Prakasham, followed by three in Kadapa, Mahabubnagar, Hyderabad and Karimnagar districts and one each in Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East, West Godavari and Anantapur districts.

In all, 47,059 livestock worth Rs 2.69 crore were lost in 13 districts. A total number of 1,91,671 houses were damaged. Of these, 12,873 were fully damaged, 1,59,358 severely damaged and 19,440 partially marooned.

In all 942 irrigation tanks were either damaged or breached.

These included 241 major, ten medium, 679 minor (PR) and 12 (APSIDC).

A total of 1,574 km of R and B roads were damaged and it was estimated that Rs 193 crore were required for permanent restoration of these roads, he said.

Under Fisheries sector, the estimated loss was Rs 3.83 crore with 7,590 nets lost and 1,653 crafts damaged. Horticulture crop damage was estimated in 5,391 hectares with sand casting in 1,776 hectares.

In all, 430 looms, 775 yarn and 83 units of finished products were damaged, he added.

UNI