Tardy relief: CM takes officials to task

• Chief Minister very upset as relief activity is at a snail’s pace
• Opposition leader Jagan strongly denounces official apathy
• Three north coastal districts go without power and essential commodities for third consecutive day
• Black marketing is flourishing in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts
• Situation may improve by Wednesday with vegetable supplies being sent from East Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts

Visakhapatnam: Relief operations in the Hudhud cyclone-devastated district of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam are moving at a snail’s pace. It has provoked backlash against the government.

This could have led to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also to come down heavily on the administration in Visakhapatnam for being tardy in its response to the tragedy. He went to the extent of threatening the officials with dire consequences if they failed to attend review meetings.

On the other hand, Opposition Leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who arrived in the port city on Tuesday, also criticised the government for its failure to reach out to the people in distress. He was scathing about the response by the officials in extending their helping hand to the people in distress.

The CPI-M activists organised a procession to highlight the failure of the government in extending help to the people in distress.

The city still remains crippled without power, milk and essential commodities. Black marketing is flourishing with traders selling essential commodities at a premium. Situation is likely to improve by Wednesday with the East Godavari and Krishna district administrations sending a large quantity of vegetables and essential commodities to be sold at subsidised rates.

Meanwhile, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, which were also ravaged by cyclone, still remain bruised without power and water. Essential commodities and vegetables, besides fuel for vehicles, have become scarce commodities.

A large number of people in the low-lying areas are still struggling with relief being extended to them. The two districts still remain plunged in darkness for third consecutive day on Tuesday.

While hundreds of houses have suffered damage, crops in lakhs of hectares remain submerged in water. Tanks breached and coconut trees have been uprooted.

In Srikakulam district, water level in Nagavali is menacingly rising. The bridge across the river has been shut for traffic.

EG vegetables for Vizag
Rajahmundry: East Godavari District administration taking active part in sending food material, machinery for restoration of essential services in cyclone-affected Visakhapatnam district.

District Collector Neetu Prasad on Tuesday deputed ITDA Project Officer G Chandrudu and Additional Joint-Colletor R Mutyalaraju to supervise the operations relating to dispatching food supplies to Visakhapatnam district. The Collector also sought the help of ONGC, GAIL, Crain India and Kakinada Sea Port in mobilising funds and material to be sent to cyclone-ravaged districts.

She told the media that the district administration had already dispatched 1.13 lakh food packets, 7.37 lakh water packets, 28,000 half-litre milk packets, 1.74 lakh biscuit packets, 84,250 banans, 12,375 apples, 6,314 bread packets, a tonne of cattle feed to Visakhapatnam district. The administration would continue to send relief material the district until normality was restored, she said.

As much as 20 tonnes of vegetables were pooled from nine Rythu Bazaars and sent to Visakhapatnam on Tuesday for sale at subsidised rates.

Food grains sent from Vijayawada
City Police Commissioner A B Venkateswara Rao on Tuesday flagged off the vehicles carrying food grains, vegetables, oils, pulses and other essential commodities to the Hudud hit victims of Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the occasion, the Police Commissioner said every organisation, individual, students, youth and communities should come forward voluntarily to donate to help the people in distress. He appreciated the associations like CREDAI, Krishna District Lorry Owners Association, and Builders Association for contributing donations.