Relief fails to reach cyclone-hit Vizag

VISAKHAPATNAM: More than 48 hours after Cyclone Hudhud struck, there is a severe shortage of essential commodities in port city of Vishakapatnam, with people scrambling for milk, drinking water, vegetables and petrol even as power supply is yet to be restored.

Men, women, children and elderly all alike made beelines in front of the petrol pumps, milk booths, water tankers and water handpumps apart from grocery stores.

People fought with each other to lay their hands on a packet of drinking water at several places. One such incident was witnessed at King George Hospital, less than 100 metres away from the district collectorate where chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is halting to oversee rescue and relief operations. While some lucky ones could catch the water packets, others were literally pushed aside and stepped upon by fellow victims.

More than 2 lakh food packets and 5 lakh water packets have arrived in the city through the government machinery and also voluntary organisations including political parties. However, the municipal water tankers could no t reach majority of the areas due to short supply.

"We are trying to send as many tankers as possible by pumping up the water using generators. We have already supplied municipal water through pipelines in some areas," said an officials in the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC).

At many places, unwary scenes could be seen where the suppliers just threw the water and foods packets at the cyclone victims. A few youngsters managed to climb the vehicles despite the resistance by those on board and nabbed a couple of food and water packets.

People like Nawaz Hussain, ran behind the relief vehicles even as they moved at fast pace on the NH 16 even as the suppliers took sympathy and dropped a box or two which were grabbed by the onlookers.

"Though the material is being supplied in abundance, it is not reaching all people as it is being distributed in a hasty. The situation is worse in interior parts of the city," said a police personnel trying to control the crowd. He blamed the franatic people for fighting with each other resulting in the hasty manner of distribution.

V Appayamma, a resident of Jalaripeta, told that none came to their help for the last three days. "They came to us for votes but are now shying away from helping when we are in dire need. What is the use of chief minister staying here if we have to fight with our neighbours for a water packet," she said adding that the government has utterly failed to help them. She was accompanied by a group of men and women from Jalaripeta to Maharanipeta to grab a water packet.

People also queued up in front of milk booths and despite the 'best possible efforts' by the government, many had to return home with disappointment.

"We could not even get a milk powder due to this panic buying. The state government too failed to anticipate the situation. What is wrong in purchasing some material in advance and supplying it during such time? If not Vizag, the cyclone would have hit another place and the relief material could have been sent there," said an angry Raghavaiah, at Poorna Market.

Meanwhile, the fleecing of consumers by vendors and businessmen continued elsewhere in the city. Businessmen continued to charge double the price for milk packets, water cans, fuel and other essentials. When questioned by some consumers, they are being simply shooed away.

The businessmen claimed that they too are being shortsupplied by the dealers and they have no other way but to sell it for high prices to control the panic buying by the crowds.

People also thronged the rythu bazaars and local vegetable marts to purchase vegetables for double and even triple the prices. For instance, tomatoes which were priced at Rs 14 per kg, are being sold for about Rs 30 per kg.

Interestingly, the meat including chicken and mutton were being sold for normal price. "It is because the animals might catch some disease or the other after suffering the cyclone.

People are advised against consumption of meat during this time and avoid further health complications," Dr Phanindra, a general phyician has advised. He further suggested that people can drink even bore water after heating and filtering it rather than fighting for packaged.