have struck the people of South India in this first fortnight of October. Unprecedented floods in the Krishna river, said to be the rarest in 10,000 years, have hit the barrages and dams on its way and inundated hundreds of villages and several towns in Rayalaseema and Andhra delta areas and in Mahaboobnagar district. The former capital city of Andhra State - Kurnool, was almost totally submerged in flood waters, in some areas up to 30 feet deep, and the plight of panic-stricken residents in the worst period for 3-4 days was beyond description. Srisailam Dam received the maximum inflow of more than 26 lakhs cusecs in its history but fortunately survived the battering due to its secure design and sturdy construction – having been started and completed in the less-corrupt decades (1960-70’s). The upper riparian regions in Karnataka were worse hit in a sense and more human loss is reported in that State. It is a worst natural calamity, fit to be declared a national disaster, but human errors are also alleged to have intensely aggravated if not basically caused it. The relief operations of many voluntary organizations including TV channels have been and are continuing as a great succour to the innumerable victims but state aid seems to be tardy, callous and inefficient as usual. This calls for a radical re-look at all flood prevention and control schemes of the governments as also the entire Jalayagnam projects initiated by the recently deceased chief minister in our State. The newer constructions seem to have more easily fallen apart in the flood havoc while the older stood strong and secure. Added to this natural calamity that could also be man-made to certain extent, another calamity struck the State in the loss of a dedicated, zealous activist of human rights, creating a void which would be very hard, if not impossible, to be filled up for many years to come. People cutting across political persuasions have sincerely mourned the untimely demise of Balagopal, who, if alive, would have certainly plunged into relief and restructuring operations for the flood victims also. We also join them and vow to work for his ideals.
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