Focus on relief as floods recede at Bhadrachalam

• Several villages inaccessible in the division
• Officials, support staff confined to division HQ
• Supplies being carried in IAF choppers
• Lack of power supply, kerosene add to woes
• People protest against poor quality of food supplied

Khammam: A day after causing serious concern over prospects of flash floods, the Godavari level at Bhadrachalam has become stable. Officials heaved a sigh of relief and intend to intensify relief operations in the affected areas. Also, the government has postponed gram panchayat elections from July 23 to July 31. Campaign by political parties could not be taken up as several villages were cut off due to incessant rains.

On Sunday, officials pressed into service two IAF helicopters to drop food packets in the marooned areas in Kunavaram and Varadana Chandrapuram mandals; over 1,200 food packets were said to be distributed. However, affected people in the Bhadrachalm division were bitter that officials did not render adequate assistance, food and water packets. At Kothapalli, Veerapuram, Rallagudam, Lingapuram relief centres, the villagers protested spoiled 'pulihora' packets were supplied.

With the national highway No 30 still under flood water, the Andhra-Chhattisgarh transport links have snapped. All links between Venkatapuram, Bhadrachalam and Chintur-Bhadrachalam areas also broke off on account of the serious flood situation. In several villages fair price shops are not being opened, yet. Officials are unable to reach all villages in the interior areas as the flood situation there continues to be grim. They along with their staff were confined to the division centre of Bhadrachalam, as movement was not possible at all.

Add to this, there has been no power supply at several Girijan villages in Venkatapuram, Vajedu, Charla, Kukkanur, Kunavaram, V R Puram mandals for the last four days. Villagers bemoan that even kerosene is not being supplied to them.

About 200 houses in Sabarikothagudem, Tekubaka, Kunavaram, Old Masjid centre, new bus stand, Udaybhaskar Colony and Tekula Bore areas in Kunavaram mandal are submerged. While some residents moved to the relief centres, some are staying in the offices of MPDO and Telugu Desam Party, local degree college and even on the main roads in some villages. Officials are using launches to reach relief material to these people. With Kunavaram surrounded by flood water, residents have completely lost contact with the outside world and are without any power supply.

Union minister Naik undertakes aerial survey of flood areas Bhadrachalam: Union Minister P Balram Naik on Sunday assured the flood-affected people in the Bhadrachalam division that the district administration would continue the relief measures till normalcy was restored. He said with the flood intensity coming down, efforts were being made to ensure that the affected areas become normal. Naik was speaking after undertaking an aerial supply of the flood-hit areas along with State Minister R Venkat Reddy and Bhadrachalam MLA Kunja Satyavati.

They went round the bathing ghats of Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple and assessed the flood situation. Later, they visited the relief centre at Tanesha Kalyana Mandapam and interacted with people staying there. Naik directed official Y V Ganesh to provide full assistance to them.