With water levels in the Krishna river continuing to rise due to heavy inflows to the Prakasam barrage, scores of people from low-lying areas of Vijayawada along the Krishna river bank have been shifted to a flood relief centre set up at the IGMC (Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation) Stadium. The recurring Krishna floods affect the households in these localities every year. Last year, the city saw particularly intense floods for the first time in nearly ten years, with hundreds of houses submerged for days.
Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer Mariyanna told TNM that around 500 people have been evacuated from inundated areas in the city. “Medical services are being provided at the relief camp. Doctors and ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) are available. COVID-19 tests will also be done in necessary cases,” he said.
He added that the inflows to Prakasam barrage, which had earlier reached 1.4 lakh cusecs, had reduced at first, but has increased again since Thursday night due to surplus water being released from the Pulichintala reservoir upstream.
The low-lying riverside localities, like Tarakarama Nagar, Bhupesh Gupta Nagar, Ranigari Thota,Yanamalakuduru and Ramalingeswara Nagar have been inundated since the past few days. Last year, recurring floods which started in August and continued till November displaced several people out of their homes, while many others suffered loss or damage to belongings.
At the time, authorities had said that eligible beneficiaries of the government housing scheme (‘YSR Pedalandariki Illu’ scheme) would be moved to these houses when they were ready. The housing scheme, which was earlier announced to be launched on Ugadi in March, has been postponed several times since then.
Local residents who are repeatedly affected by the floods have been demanding the construction of a ‘retaining wall’ for more than ten years. The retaining wall, which could shield these localities from the flood waters, had been partially constructed, with a long stretch from Ramalingeswara Nagar lying incomplete. Earlier in February, the state government had sanctioned Rs 125 crore for the completion of the wall. However, earlier in July, a VMC official had said that the construction is yet to be resumed by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department.