Vijayawada: Communist Party of India (CPI) State Secretary K Ramakrishna has urged the state government to immediately launch Operation Budameru rivulet on a war footing to address recurring floods problem and find a permanent solution to the devastation caused by the Budameru rivulet in Vijayawada and other parts of NTR and Krishna districts.
Ramakrishna along with the leaders of the CPI, Congress and civil society organisations submitted a representation to the Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Ramanaidu at his camp office in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
He recalled that CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu had assured the people of Vijayawada to launch Operation Budameru after the disaster and stated that so far no progress on it. Ramakrishna said NTR, Krishna and Eluru districts would greatly benefit if the Budameru channel is desilted and restored from its source to Kolleru Lake. He said that Rs 8,000 crore would be required for the operation, and that Central government assistance would be necessary.
The CPI leader criticised the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre for its lack of response in releasing funds, and accused the state government of passively waiting instead of taking proactive steps. “If the double-engine government cannot deliver during a crisis like this, what is the point of having a double-engine Sarkar in AP?” he questioned.
He further warned that infrastructure bottlenecks, such as the narrow underpass near Enikepadu, remain unresolved. If heavy rains return, he cautioned, the government will be held responsible for any repeat flooding.
The CPI district secretary Donepudi Shankar, Vijayawada secretary G Koteswara Rao, and Vijayawada Congress City President Naraharisetty Narasimha Rao and others met the Minister Ramanaidu.
Responding to the demand, the minister reportedly promised phased implementation of the Operation Budameru project and initial funding of Rs 1,500 crore. He also assured that steps would be taken to fill embankments from Velagaleru regulator to Upputeru to protect Vijayawada from flooding in future.
The CPI city secretary Koteswara Rao reminded that 32 divisions of Vijayawada had been waterlogged for days during the floods in September 2024 due to encroachments along the Budameru. He demanded for the removal of encroachments.
Congress leader Narasimha Rao emphasised the need to pressure the Centre to release funds to solve the long pending problem that devastated Vijayawada last year.
