Officials have suspended sand excavations in all sand reaches located up and downstream of Krishna river, as the river is in spate. Police and revenue officials cautioned people against venturing into the river.
Due to incessant rains in the upstream in Telangana and heavy discharge from Pulichintala project, water level was on the rise, Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal said.
Vijayawada in-charge Police Commissioner G. Pala Raju said sand digging was temporarily suspended at Inampudi, Royyur, Vallurupalem, Chodavaram, Ibrahimpatnam and other sand reaches. Police officers had been directed to intensify patrolling along the river bund.
Activity at Sanagapadu, Chevitikallu, Ustepalli, Kadavatikallu, Munnaluru, Kasarabad, Allurupadu had been suspended. Sand excavations were suspended temporarily at Srikakulam village. A tom-tom has been arranged to caution the villagers on the rising water level.
Probe ordered
Meanwhile, Mr. Kaushal has ordered an inquiry into the Chevitikallu incident, in which 135 persons were stranded in the Krishna at Kanchikacherla. About 135 lorry drivers and cleaners were stranded in the river following flash floods in the river on August 14.
“About 200 persons had a miraculous escape. We climbed the lorry cabins and shouted for help. All the drivers and cleaners were stranded for about four hours,” a lorry driver said.
The Kanchikacherla police, AP State Disaster Response Force (AP SDRF), National Disaster Response Force 10th Battalion, AP State Disaster Response and Fire Services personnel arranged boats and rescued them, said a villager.
Mr. Kaushal said floods occurred only at the Chevitikallu sand reach. “We are inquiring whether flood alert given by the officials, if so at what time, and how the company management, which was operating in the reaches allowed the workers into the river,” the SP said.
