Voleru breach to be repaired in four days

Guntur, Oct 8 :

 Minister for Agriculture N Raghuveera Reddy on Thursday stated that the breach occurred in Krishna Right Flood Bank near Voleru 60 km downstream of Prakasam Barrage in Guntur district, would be repaired within four days. Talking to media persons, he said that the breach has partially inundated Repalle town, and 20 surrounding villages fully, forcing residents to be shifted to Bhattiprolu, Repalle outskirts and Nagaram. He said that plugging of the breach cannot be taken up unless the discharge reduced to 4 lakh cusecs from Prakasam Barrage. Water takes 10 hours to reach breach point from Prakasam Barrage.

He said the breach would be plugged by placing 100 metres cross bund by Thursday’s evening. The loose soil on top and sides gave scope for the breach. Another major cause was numerous illegal digging of bund for laying pipelines to irrigate saline lands along river the river, he explained. Fodder would be supplied to the animals in the flood hit areas and medicines will be kept at all primary health centres for snake bites. The standing crop in 30 lakh hectares was damaged in the floods, he added.

Minister for Social Welfare Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose said that power supply would be restored in Repalle town by Thursday’s evening. Power supply island villages would be restored within six days, he added. He said that crops in 47,200 hectares were damaged in the Guntur district. Three Ministers - Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose supervised rescue operations in Repalle town.