Central team to assess flood damage in AP

AUG 26: An 11-member Central team, headed by Union agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar, arrived here today for an on-the-spot assessment of ...

AUG 26: An 11-member Central team, headed by Union agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar, arrived here today for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by heavy rains, which have left a trail of death and destruction in Andhra Pradesh, claiming 131 lives so far.

The Centre would extend all possible assistance to the state government to tide over the crisis, Kumar told reporters on his arrival at the Begumpet airport here.

The Central team would review the flood situation with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here later in the evening after an aerial survey of the worst-affected Guntur and Kurnool districts, besides the state capital.

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“We will not leave any stone unturned in helping the state government in relief and rehabilitation works”, the Union Minister said.

He said his team would submit a detailed report to the government after assessing the situation.

The Central team comprises Bhagat Singh, additional secretary, Agriculture and Cooperation, A Sekhar, Chief engineer, Water Resources Department, A K Banerjee, Chief engineer, Roads and Transport, Michael Veta Shiromani, director, Department of Agriculture, D N Singh, deputy commissioner, Agriculture, Vinod Kumar, an official of the Union agriculture ministry, J N Gupta, executive director, Urban Development and Employment Generation, V Kutty, director, Drinking Water division, R S Kanade, director, Planning, and S R Dongre from Department of Expenditure.

Union Minister of state for agriculture, S P B K Satyanarayana and state revenue Minister P Ashok Gajapathiraju will accompany the team in the aerial survey.