AP: CPI(M)’S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE RELIEF

                                                                                       M Venugopala Rao

TEAMS of leaders of the CPI(M) visited several areas hit and inundated by   the high tidal waves caused due to the impact of tsunami on December 26, consoled the victims and families of the deceased, examined the loss caused to property and arrangements made for relief. They also enquired about the measures taken by the government to provide  relief and rehabilitation to the people affected by the disaster.

On the call given by the state committee of the CPI(M),  leaders and cadres of the Party swung into action to collect donations and materials to provide relief to the affected people. State secretary of the CPI(M) B V Raghavulu appealed to all the units of the Party to collect funds so as to come to the rescue of the affected people.   He appreciated the initiative taken by the chief minister, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, in visiting several areas affected by the disaster immediately after its occurrence and taking up relief measures. Raghavulu requested the government to implement relief measures effectively and appealed to the people of all walks of life to give donations liberally and to come to the rescue of the affected people.

A team of leaders of the CPI(M), comprising P Madhu, member of Rajya Sabha,  state committee member of the Party and president of A P Rythu Sangham B Tulasidas, former MLA Tavanam Chenchaiah, Prakasam district committee secretary Jala Anjaiah and several other district leaders of the Party  visited several areas in Prakasam district, which was badly ravaged by the natural calamity. They visited Singarayakonda, Voollapalem, Devalam-pallepalem, Kandukur,  Potti Subbaiahpallepalem and Vetapalem. They consoled the families of the deceased and Madhu promised to bring the distress and problems of fishermen to the notice of the government and legislative bodies.  They demanded the government to enhance ex-gratia to the families of the deceased to Rs 2 lakh from the Rs 1 lakh announced by the CM and pay compensation  to the fishermen whose boats and nets were damaged in the devastation. At Devalampallepalem, the fishermen explained to the CPI(M) leaders that the disaster took place all of a sudden and that each family suffered a loss of property of about Rs 1 lakh. When the CPI(M) leaders visited an affected family, preparations were being made for final rites of two women of that family who perished in the tidal waves. Sarpanch of the village G Raghavulu explained to the leaders that loss of human life would have been enormous had the disaster taken place after half an hour of its actual occurrence, as by then people in larger number would have gone to work in the salt farms, which were ravaged by the tidal waves. The CPI(M) leaders also consoled G Gopal, who lost his two daughters who went to work in salt farms.   He said he could save only his wife and the youngest daughter from the fury of tidal waves.

The CPI(M) leaders later visited the relief camp at the junior college in Singarayakonda and  enquired the affected people about the arrangements made to provide food and accommodation to them. Kandukur RDO Nagababu explained to the CPI(M) leaders that the official team reached Voolapalem by 9 am on Sunday  and took up relief measures immediately.  The leaders requested the officers to provide compensation to the fishermen whose boats and nets were damaged and to farmers who produce salt. Workers of AIDWA and SFI participated in the activities providing relief to the affected people. Later, the CPI(M) leaders visited families of the deceased in Kandukur and Vetapalem Mandal.

Dr M Baburao, CPI(M) member of Lok Sabha, visited several areas inundated by sea water in West Godavari district. He explained that fishermen in the coastal areas lost boats and nets, besides two-wheelers, in the tidal waves and suffered damage.   He requested the government to provide the same with subsidy to the fishermen.  The farmers suffered loss of lakhs of rupees as a result of their salt farms and prawn ponds getting submerged in sea water.  Baburao appealed to the government to come to the rescue of the farmers by providing them financial assistance.  He also wanted the government to sanction ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh  each to the families of the children who perished in the high tidal waves.

All the nine legislators of the CPI(M) donated their one month’s salary, while the staff of Prajasakti daily donated one day’s salary, to provide relief to the people affected by the disaster. CPI(M) corporators in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation donated their one month’s honorarium for the same purpose.