Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, seeking relaxation in the norms pertaining to the model code of conduct in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts, to enable the Ministers and the official machinery take steps to mitigate the impact of the very severe cyclonic storm, ‘Fani’.
“The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Real Time Governance Centre (RTGC) of Andhra Pradesh have forecast that the cyclonic system in the Bay of Bengal is developing into a super cyclone. The wind speed will be reaching up to 200 kmph at the time of its landfall,” Mr. Naidu said.
‘Timely action needed’
Pointing out that A.P. had been a victim of devastating cyclones in 1977, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014 and October 2018, he said timely action could minimise human loss.
“To facilitate free flow of information, mobilisation of human and material resources and take preventive steps, there is a need to relax the provisions of the code in the three districts,” he said.
Since Assembly elections were over in the State, the ECI should relax the code to help contain the damage and provide succour to the affected people, the CM said in his letter.