“My party came to power 80 days ago. Can I check every single breach happening across every single canal? There are breaches, and improper management of gates across the board. But one thing I am confident about: this is a man-made disaster, created by the YSRCP,” the CM remarked.
While critical of the YSRCP, the CM’s statements also implicate the TDP, which governed united Andhra Pradesh twice and once after the bifurcation of the Telugu states. The problem could have been averted or in the very least, minimised, if Budameru’s repair and expansion had been dealt with by either the TDP or the YSRCP.
“This is always why floods happen. Vijayawada is just the most recent example of planning and monitoring failure,” Former Director of Vijayawada School of Planning and Architecture Dr N Sridharan told TNM. “Even putting aside Budameru, between 2014 and 2016 several encroachments happened along the Krishna river front which hints at this failure,” he added.
Aside from the need for a major planning overhaul, Vijayawada also has to contend with a more city-based concern. TNM learnt that the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation was not able to tackle the floods by itself prompting the state government to call for assistance from other Urban Local Bodies.
“From top-down, all cadres including those working in urban local bodies, be it regional directors, engineers, or town planning officials – everyone has been given ward-wise responsibility to work in three shifts. From Srikakulam Municipal Corporation alone 110 people have come,” Srikakulam Municipal Corporation’s Commissioner Challa Obuleshu told TNM outside Jakkampudi.
Union government: Funds for AP floods?
