Miserable conditions prevail in Polavaram merged mandals

Rampachodavaram (Asr District): For the last 10 days, the mandals falling under the Polavaram project are completely inundated due to heavy rains in the upper areas.

The flood surge near the Sabari Godavari confluence is extreme. There is a backwater effect here. Also, backwaters are rising from Polavaram dam structures. Due to this, life has become miserable in Kunavaram, Chinturu, VR Puram, Devipatnam, and Yetapaka mandals.

It has been a week since Sriramagiri village in VR Puram mandal was trapped in floodwaters. The flood victims are trying to save their lives by pitching tents on the steps of the hill where the Ram temple is located in the village.

They express their ire on the government for not supplying at least tarpaulins for pitching tents. During their announcements, the district officials say that they have provided tarpaulins, essentials and that they have executed the necessary relief measures, but the villagers complain that they are not getting anything.

Lakshmana Rao, a villager said that since the last seven days, not a single people’s representative or official has visited them. He said they were not provided the essentials. Locals said that there were no boats and medical help.

They said that at least no one had thought of moving them to relief camps by informing them about the impending floods in advance.

Even in Kunavaram mandal, the flood victims are taking shelter on Jaggavaram mounds. They sought one litre of kerosene to each family as an immediate requirement.

The condition of the Godavari flood victims who are taking shelter in the resettlement centres in Kunavaram mandal is pathetic. They are living in fear. There is leakage at homes and people are also suffering due to mosquitoes and poisonous insects. The flood victims complain that there is no food to eat and even a sip of fresh water.

People in Kunavaram mandal are facing innumerable hardships due to heavy rains and Godavari floods. The floods rose and receded three times in a span of 10 days and caused problems. Every time there is a flood, people have to go to the resettlement centre. The flood which increased till Thursday night subsided from midnight.

The flood subsided till Friday evening and then started rising again. Some who returned home on Friday were cleaning the accumulated mud at their homes when the rising floodwater submerged them again.

Walking in waist-deep water they again returned to the rehabilitation centres fearing for their lives. Others pitched tents on hills in the forest. The people of tribal villages in remote areas like Bojjaraigudem have been starving without food for three days.

The villagers of Sriramagiri and Kunavaram express anger stating that there is no drinking water except floodwater all around. People said that it was not wise for the government to leave them in the floodwaters without even completing the construction of rehabilitation colonies.

In Devipatnam mandal, Talluru tribals have been living on the hills for the past 10 days. They say they will not leave the village until their R & R package is fulfilled. The villages in Devipatnam mandal were the first to be submerged in the Polavaram flood.

Godavari floodwater is flowing beyond the danger level at Sabari Sangamam in Kunavaram. In VR Puram, the villagers vacated their houses and reached the rehabilitation centres with their belongings. Floodwater is flowing on the national highway at Rayanapeta and Yetapaka mandal.