KAKINADA: People of flood-hit Gowridevipeta village in Yetapaka mandal of Alluri Seetharama Raju district staged a dharna in front of their village secretariat accusing officials of denying them relief material and financial assistance of ₹2,000. Former Rampachodavaram MLA Vanthala Rajeswari lent support to the agitation.
Protesters complained that officials have refused to extend aid to about 400 families on grounds that floodwater has not entered their houses. They maintained that their livelihood had been hit for past 10 days as they had been unable to go out because the whole area had been surrounded by water. They have undergone great hardships, so they too should be provided compensation, the protesters maintained.
At the same time, people of Jaggavaram have alleged that officials are paying them flood relief of only ₹1,000, instead of the announced ₹2,000 on pretext that they had not been present in their villages. They maintained that they had vacated their houses only to escape from floods or had been out earning their livelihood.
As floods have also affected cattle, Alluri Sitarama Raju district collector Sumit Kumar instructed animal husbandry and Chinturu ITDA officials to provide feed to cattle as well as the necessary medicines to them. In this regard, animal husbandry joint director Dr. Venkata Swamy said they have already supplied two tonnes of cattle feed to Chinturu, seven tonnes to Kunavaram mandal, six tonnes to V.R. Puram and five tonnes to Yetapaka mandal. Another 75 tonnes of feed is being procured, he stated.
