Vijayawada:Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday directed officials to be on high alert and provide all necessary help to the people due to heavy rains in many parts of north coastal Andhra districts.
Officials at the Chief Minister’s office briefed the Chief Minister about the latest developments after the heavy rains. They apprised the Chief Minister about the precautionary measures initiated by the District Collectors in their respective areas and their preparedness to face any emergency.
Schools have been closed in areas affected by heavy rains, officials have informed. When officials told Chandrababu Naidu about the damage to crops in some rain-affected areas, he directed them to provide all necessary assistance to the affected farmers and calculate the damage.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to alert the farmers regarding heavy rains, so that they can take measures to protect their crops.
Based on the CM’s directive, the AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has contacted the agriculture department and asked farmers to issue advisories to protect their harvested paddy crops. Accordingly, work is being done to cover the harvested paddy with tarpaulin to prevent it from getting wet.
APSDMA Managing Director Ronanki Kurmanath said, “As per the instructions of the Chief Minister, we are closely monitoring the impact of rain mainly on agricultural crops. We have not yet received any reports of rains affecting infrastructure like roads and water bodies.