YSR Congress party on Saturday described as utterly baseless the allegations levelled by Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had miserably failed in flood management in Krishna river.
State irrigation minister P Anil Kumar said the water releases from various reservoirs, including Prakasam barrage, were done as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“There is absolutely no base for Naidu’s argument that the floods were man-made and were aimed at inundating his river front house,” he said.
He said if excess water was released from upstream towards Prakasam barrage to inundate Naidu’s residence alleged, water levels in Pulichintala as of now would have been far less than what they actually are.
“The water was released as per the set procedures only after the reservoirs were full and the crest gates were opened as per the standard operating procedure,” the minister said.
Anil also brushed aside the criticism that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had been touring the US, ignoring floods in AP.
“Even from the US, the chief minister regularly monitored the flood situation and gave instructions to the officials. The concerned Collectors were constantly monitoring the flood situation,” he said.
On the other hand, it was Chandrababu Naidu who had fled to Hyderabad gauging the intensity of the floods and the fear of imminent inundation of the residence in which he was staying.
“We are always alert and necessary and timely steps were taken constantly,” the minister said.