The latest heavy rains and subsequent floods to Krishna river inundating several areas of Krishna and Guntur districts have given an excellent opportunity to the YSR Congress party led by former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to prove its point that Amaravati is unfit for being the capital city.
For the last two days, the YSRCP social media and its mouth piece Sakshi have been trying to prove that Amaravati is not an ideal choice for the capital.
According to them, the floods exposed vulnerabilities in Amaravati, the chosen capital region.
The submergence of several critical areas, including the seed access road and access road to Lingayapalem, Rayapudi, and the road leading to the High Court, highlight the risks associated with situating a capital in a flood-prone river zone.
The party leaders are pointed out that the Siva Rama Krishnan Committee had earlier raised concerns about selecting this region due to its susceptibility to flooding, recommending that the capital should be located in a safer area.
“The committee emphasized the need for a capital that is not only geographically sound but also economically and environmentally sustainable,” it pointed out.
The YSRCP said flooding not only affects the immediate area but also poses long-term challenges to governance, economic stability, and the well-being of the residents.
“It underscores the importance of selecting a capital based on comprehensive risk assessments and the ability to withstand natural calamities,” the party said.
However, the Amaravati farmers are rubbishing these allegations, saying that any capital city – whether it is Mumbai or Delhi or Chennai or Bengaluru – is bound to get submerged when there are rains of such intensify.
They are circulating videos on social media showing only some parts of Amaravati abutting the Krishna river got water logging whereas many other parts of the capital city were not affected due to the present rains.
“Moreover, the capital construction has just begun and the internal sewerage system has not yet been developed. Once the systems are in place, all the issue of water drainage will be resolved. The YSRCP leaders are just spreading the false narrative,” a farmer said.