On Sunday (July 17), Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao claimed that ‘foreign entities’ had triggered floods in the Godavari region of the State, with the aim to ‘destabilise India’.
He made the bizarre claim during a public address in Bhadrachalam town in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of the State. While addressing a group of people, whose lives were turned upside down by the natural disaster, KCR alleged the role of cloudburst in triggering the floods.
“There is this new phenomenon called cloudburst. This is what happened in the Godavari region which caused the flood. There are reports that these cloudbursts are a conspiracy by foreign sources. They first did a cloudburst in Leh-Ladakh, then in Uttarakhand, and now in the Godavari region,” he claimed.
“There are theories that these cloudbursts are being done to destabilise the country,” KCR suggested. His remarks come at a time when more than 10 people have died at different places due to rain-related incidents.
KCR’s bizarre theory has also drawn the ire of the Opposition. While reacting to the development, Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay Kumar described his remarks as the ‘joke of the century.’ He also accused the Telangana Chief Minister of enacting drama to hide his failures and divert people’s attention.
Floods in the Godavari region
The Godavari river has witnessed a sudden rise in its water level, due to incessant rain in the region. As per residents, it has been the worst episode of flooding since 1986. Despite this, the Kadem dam, built on the Godavari tributary, was able to withstand the floods.
The natural disaster has affected people in low-lying areas. The flood victims were shifted to relief camps. Meanwhile, the Telangana government has vowed to provide ₹10,000 to affected families to tide over the situation.
A sum of ₹10,000 has also been allocated to build housing colonies on higher ground.