Warangal: Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao announced that a special drive would be conducted for a month in Warangal city to remove all the encroachments of drains, according to Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
The minister appointed a Committee under the Warangal Urban Collector leadership to identify encroachments on floodwater, drainage and sewerage canals and remove them.
He also announced a fund of Rs 25 crores to restore the damaged roads and other infrastructure due to heavy rains and flood. “More funds would be released, if need be, after the officials concerned make estimates on the damage,” he added.
Rao who along with other Ministers and public representatives toured Warangal city on the instructions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and held a review meeting with the officials at the NIT Campus.
When we toured several areas in the city, people have unanimously told us that it was due to encroachments of drains that prevented the flood water to go out and it has resulted in inundation of roads and flooding of the residential areas. Whatever the people said is very true. “There are several illegal encroachments of the drains in the city. They have to be removed immediately. There will not be any compromise on this issue. There will not be any political pressure on the matter,” he said.
He ordered officials to start removing the illegal encroachments, which are already identified.
“Examine if any obstructions are there for the water flow in drains. We are appointing a District Task Force team under the leadership of the Collector to identify and remove the illegal encroachments of the drains. Principal Secretary (MA) and MAUD Commissioner will monitor the works. One of these two will visit Warangal one day in a week. ,” the minister said.
Rao further said that all the illegal encroachments should be removed within a month’s time.
“If they are illegal encroachments, remove them, if they happen to be houses of the poor, assure them that 2 BHK houses will be constructed and given to them as compensation. If the encroachment is registered, pay them the compensation. In any case, remove all the encroachments of the drains, construct retaining walls after so that there will not be any encroachments in future. Remove silt from the Aqua duct Canal of SRSP Canal,” he said.
“Encroachments of drains in Warangal are not a new feature, it has been happening for a long time. In the past, construction of houses, laying of roads, Layouts were not done in a proper way. Henceforth it will not be the case. Everything will happen properly.
We have brought in the New Municipal Act to ensure proper development of the Cities. Along with this, a new Master Plan is prepared for Warangal City. We will announce it with acceptance of the CM. With these two, newly TS B Pass also came.
Henceforth, constructions in Warangal should be done in tune with the New Act, policies and plans. The development in the city should take place in a planned manner but not in a haphazard way,” he said.
Rao said that the Chief Minister has a special affection and attention towards Warangal City.
“The news of heavy rains and floods in Warangal caused some anxious moments to the CM. He felt that Warangal, the second biggest city after Hyderabad, should not suffer. The CM spoke to Ministers, MLAs and Officials on a regular basis and assessed the situation,” he said.
The minister said that he gave instructions that relief work should take place in a big way and ensure that not even a single life is lost.
Based on the CM’s instructions, 20 relief camps were set up in Warangal and 4,500 people from the low-lying areas were shifted to these camps.
Disaster Response Force is deputed from Hyderabad to Warangal with Boats, and other rescue equipment. They were all involved in the relief work. The CM wanted to visit Warangal On Monday but decided not to as it would hamper the relief works. Today the CM has deputed us. We have assessed the situation and updated the CM.
The CM who immediately granted Rs 25 Crore for the relief works, said after the estimates report from the official’s funds would be released further. Hence the officials should prepare the estimates scientifically,” Rao said.
According to the CMO, Principal Secretary (Municipal Administration) Arvind Kumar issued orders forming a Task Force team with Warangal Urban district Collector Rajiv Hanmanthu as Chairman, Police Commissioner as Co-Chairman, Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Water Resources SE, and Warangal Urban RDO, national Highways Authority SE as members.