AP CM Chandrababu showers praise on ‘Montha Storm Fighters’, Presents awards

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu commended officials, ministers, and field staff who played an active role in mitigating the impact of Cyclone Montha, describing their work as a reflection of “true team spirit and effective governance.”

A special felicitation ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office in Undavalli, where 137 officials and workers were honoured with mementos and appreciation certificates for their outstanding service during the cyclone crisis. Similar recognition events were also planned at the district level to acknowledge ground-level staff and volunteers.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister stated that timely alerts, the use of technology-based monitoring, and coordinated field response helped in minimizing loss of life and property despite the severity of the cyclone. “Every aspect — from real-time alerts to rescue and rehabilitation — was managed through a five-point action plan involving monitoring, alerts, rescue operations, rehabilitation, and restoration of normalcy,” it was observed.

Mr. Naidu noted that the state has historically faced two major challenges — drought in Rayalaseema and cyclones in Coastal Andhra — and asserted that through effective water management and construction of irrigation projects, drought conditions in Rayalaseema had largely been mitigated.

During the ceremony, Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh, representing the Nidadavole constituency, and Labour, Factories, Boilers, and Insurance Medical Services Minister Vasamshetty Subhash, representing Ramachandrapuram, were felicitated by the Chief Minister for their coordination and field efforts during the cyclone operations. Mr. Durgesh had supervised response activities in Konaseema district as in-charge minister, while Mr. Subhash had monitored relief measures in Krishna district.

Both ministers were appreciated for their proactive coordination with district administrations, though official assessments indicated that the bulk of ground-level relief operations had been carried out by the district collectors, NDRF teams, and police personnel. Their recognition was therefore seen as both a symbolic and morale-boosting gesture, acknowledging political leadership as part of the overall administrative effort.

Information and Public Relations officials reported that early warnings had been issued in advance using technology-driven platforms, including satellite and AI-based forecasting models. These systems were said to have enabled real-time situational monitoring under the AWARE 2.0 mechanism, ensuring continuous coordination among state, district, and local authorities.

Revenue and Disaster Management officials noted that the cyclone, despite its high intensity, caused comparatively lower damage due to preventive evacuations and timely communication.

Minister Kandula Durgesh later remarked that such outcomes were possible only through effective governance and collective effort, while Labour Minister Subhash thanked the Chief Minister for his recognition and assured continued cooperation in future disaster response operations.

The ceremony concluded with an appeal from the Chief Minister to all departments to maintain the same level of preparedness and teamwork in facing future natural calamities, stating that “the state’s resilience lies in its people’s coordination and commitment.”