Hyderabad, October 04: Despite government claiming initiation of full-scale measures to provide relief to flood victims in Mahaboobnagar and Kurnool districts, the reports reaching here indicate that the efforts are woefully short of the requirements in the affected areas.
Relief has reportedly not reached a majority of the affected areas even by Saturday evening even as people stranded on rooftops are begging for food and water.
In the absence of specific information on villages requiring relief, political parties and voluntary organisations geared up for relief work are unable to make much headway in the operations.
With all communication links to the flood-hit villages severed, aerial survey is said to be the only way to find out the areas that need help.
The Army and Navy helicopters engaged in relief operations since morning could cover only a few areas.
The State government has sought mechanised boats from the Centre as the ordinary ones sent by various Central departments were of not much use and the three lakh food and water packets kept ready could not be dispatched to the needy.
The government has sent 48 boats to Krishna, Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar districts. About 550 army personnel are participating in the relief operations.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah reviewed the flood situation at a cabinet meeting this morning and issued several instructions to the collectors of Krishna, Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar districts. He told newsmen that flood water receded to some extent in Kurnool and hoped that it would come down further by evening.
As the Helpline provided by the disaster management department is getting jammed with too many calls, a toll-free service – 104 – has also been added, he said.
The APTransco officials have been asked to restore power supply wherever possible with due precaution.
Voluntary organisations needing guidance to take up relief work can contact the offices of the disaster management department, Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister, Rosaiah said. The Rural Water Supply department has been directed to ensure safe drinking water in flood-hit areas and Health department instructed to take steps to prevent spread of communicable diseases, he informed.
As many as 189 villages were affected by the floods. About 1,000 people were rescued from Rajoli Banda and some 130 were stranded in Kukunur village of Mahaboobnagar district, Rosaiah said.
An ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the dead, Rs 4,000 compensation for fully damaged houses, Rs 3,000 for partially damaged houses. An immediate relief of Rs 1,000 would be given to each affected family along with 20 kg rice and 5 litres of kerosene, the Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, an all-party meeting appealed to the government to restore power supply to the affected areas as early as possible, protect the evacuated houses and provide health care to the victims.
-Agencies—