Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao launched yet another attack against the Central government and threatened Defence authorities with stoppage of power and drinking water if they do not cooperate with the State government.
Responding to a query about Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) during the Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Saturday, Mr.Rama Rao said due to construction of a check dam on the Balkapur nala in the Defence area of Mehdipatnam, the Shah Hatim Talab in Toli Chowki is overflowing and inundating Nadeem Colony.
Instructing Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar to conduct talks with Defence authorities, Mr.Rama Rao said if need be, essential services would be stopped to the military area to get things done.
He said the Centre has not contributed even half paisa for the SNDP project despite requests, and instead, advised the State government to apply for benefits available for cities over a lakh population under the AMRUT scheme.
Eighteen months after the devastating floods in the city in October, 2020, the Centre is yet to release any relief, he said, pointing out that Gujarat was given ₹1,000 crore as flood relief after cyclonic storm Tauktae last year.
Mr.Rama Rao said works under the Phase-II of the SNDP are yet to be finalised. Under Phase-I, 60 works have been taken up within the ORR, with an expenditure of ₹985.45 crore.
L.B.Nagar legislator D. Sudheer Reddy requested the government to take up upstream and downstream nalas of the lakes in a single package. Providing channels upstream without addressing the issues downstream is resulting in floods, he mentioned, citing the case of Saroornagar lake.
