People fight for survival in Visakhapatnam
VISAKHAPATNAM: The sight resembled a battlefield as people fought for the relief material being distributed in the lanes of HB Colony here.
There was only one lorry carrying raw vegetables, a banner hung in front of it declared that the food came from Prakasam district as help for the cyclone-hit victims. There were sacks of tomatoes, bottle gourd and one or two more varieties of vegetables.
The moment the vehicle came to a halt, people flung themselves on it for their lives. Shrieking at the top of their voices, they were giving out instructions to their folks on the top to throw the vegetables into the sacks. What was on display was a first class show of how to point and aim, straight out of Olympic games.
People were seen grabbing each others clothes and pushing them back or supporting themselves on others' heads to lay their hands on the items. One of them ran away with a crate of tomatoes and was even selling it to others instead of only keeping a share for himself.
When the lorry gave a start to leave, it was like the vehicle was shaking off leeches. After it left, what remained were massacred vegetables on the street. In situations like these, one can witness the rawness of human nature at work.
Monday morning, a day after the cyclone Hudhud struck Vizag, people from all walks of life came together to help fight the disaster and much of the pathways in the lanes were cleared away before help came from the authorities.
Women, with sickles in hand, took to the roads to cut branches and remove the trees. But when it comes to one's bare necessities, it is and will always be a survival of the fittest.
News Posted: 18 October, 2014
|
