Place cyclone loss info online: Patkar

• She has found women cooking in the open as rooftops of their houses blown off
• Urges Collector to provide tarpaulins to the poor
• Appeals to administration to consider granting temporary ration cards during the survey itself

Visakhapatnam: Social activist Medha Patkar on Saturday demanded that the State government to upload the data of the survey being carried out to assess the damage wrought by the Hudhud cyclone on the State’s website. Talking to reporters here after visiting slums for two days in the city and Bheemunipatnam, Patkar said such a step as uploading the data on the website would ensure transparency. The government also should publish the steps being taken from time to time to mitigate the sufferings of the people. Now the government can take the opportunity to ensure that Visakhapatnam would become slum-free city. It should also recognise rights of the poor, she said.

She found during her visit that the women had been cooking in the open as the rooftops of their houses blew off. She along with volunteers presented a memorandum to the District Collector N Yuvaraj, urging him to provide tarpaulins in slums to enable people take shelter under it.

She urged the government to distribute at least 35 kg to each family until the people could get back on their feet. Fair price shop-keepers may be asked to deliver goods at the doorstep of the people by paying transport charges to dealers.