YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had never been in any government in the past and so, he doesn’t have any experience in handling natural calamities.
Except issuing statements as opposition leader seeking relief for the flood-hit people, Jagan never got any opportunity to supervise the flood relief works personally.
On Thursday, the chief minister gained the firsthand experience of inspecting the floods and supervise flood relief works.
He made an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in East and West Godavari districts, besides flood fury at Polavaram project site.
Later, he held a review meeting with officials and announced immediate financial assistance of Rs 5000 each to families in the affected areas and also free seed for the farmers whose standing crops are inundated by the flood water.
The chief minister said that 70% of the affected people are STs and they must be provided with all possible help.
He also said that flood situation has worsened because of the incomplete coffer dam of the Polavaram dam.
He directed the engineers to take the water levels at the Polavaram dam site into consideration while estimating the quantum of flood water rather than the levels at the coffer dam.
The CM also directed the concerned district collectors to speed up rehabilitation work of the Polavaram project oustees.