The Centre will be sending an inter-ministerial team of officials led by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) adviser Kunal Satyarthi to have an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by the recent heavy rains and subsequent floods across Telangana. The team is expected to tour the affected areas from Monday onwards.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took the decision following a representation made by his Cabinet colleague and Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy and other senior leaders when they meet him in Delhi on Saturday evening.
Mr. Reddy explained to Mr. Shah about the severe flood situation that had paralysed normal life and had caused large-scale devastation to crops, infrastructure like roads and power besides rendering scores of people homeless. The Home Secretary was directed to immediately send a team across. Rajya Sabha MP K. Laxman, D.K. Aruna, national general secretaries Tarun Chugh, Sunil Bansal and other leaders were present.
The Central team will have officials from the ministries of agriculture, power, finance, water resources, road, transport & highways and the remote sensing centre of the Department of Space.
Once the team completes the tours, it will accept a memorandum from the State government and if necessary undertake a second visit for making a final recommendation of additional Central assistance and whether the floods can be considered of ‘severe nature’.
