Many names missing in list of flood victims, complain residents of 38th, 39th divisions in Vijayawada

Residents in Vijayawada's 38th and 39th divisions express frustration over lack of official assistance for flood losses.

The residents of the 38th and 39th divisions in Vijayawada have complained that no official has come to take details about their losses incurred during the recent floods and that their names are not on the list of the flood victims.

Jagadeswari, who owns a stall and lives near the Kummaripalem Centre, said that floodwater entered their houses. “The household articles were under 2-foot water. We did not receive the essential commodity kits being supplied by the government. If not for some good Samaritans, it would have been difficult to get the essentials,” she complained, adding that sometimes they were going to YSR Colony to get the essentials.  

Ms. Jagadeswari said labourers, daily wagers and some women working as domestic help skipped work for many days in the past week, fearing that the officials would return if they found their houses locked. “But, no one came to take the details regarding the losses we incurred during the flood,” she said.  

The residents said they staged a protest on September 24 after they did not find their names on the enumeration list that was put up at the Ward Secretariat 119.

“We are not requesting the government to transfer the amount without checking. We urge the Collector and the VMC Commissioner to send the officials so that we can show them the photos and videos of our inundated houses and they can assess our situation. They can then decide how many of us are eligible to receive how much,” said another D. Ramanamma, a homemaker, adding that there are around 200 families in her colony.

In a release on September 25 (Wednesday), NTR district Collector G. Srijana made it clear that every eligible family would get financial assistance from the government. As many as 13,000 applications were received on September 23 (Monday) and September 24 (Tuesday). After a thorough examination, a report would be sent to the government on September 26 (Thursday) evening, she said in the release.

While the Collector has assured the people that no person will be left out of the list of enumerated persons to receive the government compensation, the CPI(M) leaders have alleged that like the residents in the 38th and 39th divisions, many others in other colonies have not found their names on the list. They said that some municipal workers, who were out of their houses during the officials’ visits found their names missing.