Flood relief activities in AP (2009 October)
Krishna river flood relief program:
October 2009, River Krishna has shown her dark face and it shattered the living in hundreds of villages along her river bed. Some villages lost their identity and those living there lost their lively hood. These floods also affected big towns like Kurnool and Vijayawada.
As always Manavata team had taken immediate responsibility to reach some of the neediest. Manavata team arranged relief camps to provide food, flood relief emergency kits and medical facilities in the districts of Mahaboob nagar, Kurnool and Krishna.
Krishna District updates:
On 8th Oct: Ten volunteers came to Vijayawada from Manavata ashram & Youth group in Lolla [Sai, Sudheer, Ganiraju, Padmanabham, Shiva and other 6 volunteers from ashram] and served food in near by flood affected villages. Mr. Janaki Ramarao, a key Manavata leader in Vijayawada has arranged accommodation to volunteers and necessary arrangements for cooking and transportation of food. On day one food was served for around 400 people in rameswarnagar, padamatanagar, Ranigari thota, krishna lanka villages.
On 9th Oct: Food distribution went very successful with new approach of going to each colony and serving food there. Around 15 volunteers from Ibrahimpatnam, Nagulapalli and other near by hamlets were joined to serve. By looking at Manavata activities, people around our base camp have responded overwhelmingly and contributed good quantity of rice for distribution in Avanigadda area.
On 15th Oct, Srinivasa Alluri from UK travelled to Vijayawada and joined local volunteers to participate in flood relief activities planned by Mr. Ramarao in Nandigama area.
On 16th Oct: Emergency kits were packed and distributed to 250 families in Ustepalli, Chandarlapadu mandalam near Nandigama with support from All India Radio [AIR] and other Manavata local volunteers.
Initial Manavata food distribution activity inspired Mr. Jayaprakash B, (President of AP Akasavani announcers association) to take an initiative in AIR. He also said that it improved his confidence to plan for further fund raising and mobilizing volunteers within All India Radio. Knowing about Manavata flood relief activities from Mr. Ramarao (Manavata lead, Vijayawada), Emergency kits [4kg rice, plat, glass, biscuits, Saree & Dhoti] packed by volunteers in AIR. AIR Director Mr. MS Siva Prasad has inaugurated our distribution program.
Mr. Jayaprakash identified Ustepalli after speaking to a village surpanch Bobbilipati Sai (Ghandhian and recipient of national Nirmala Gram Puraskar award). Mr Sai recommended this village as people here lost their crops and basic living needs. A hamlet was built very close to this village. People living in this village are fisherman and farmers.
Mahaboob nagar District updates:
This district was affected the most due to sudden surge of water from Karnataka state and it was a shock for every body including the government. As you all aware quick response is quite important in these kinds of natural disasters. From Manavata-Hyderabad chapter, Aravind Mukteswaram and Prakash Alluri did a great job by travelling to Beachupalli with relief material on next day itself. Team reached Beachpalli via Vanaparthi. Due to road breakage and govt. operating relief operations using helicopters, District collector assigned village called Kollapur near Mukkutagudem. Team went very close to this place but due to bridge overflow food was transported by tractor to this village.
Thanks to our real heros Aravind and Prakash who have dared to go into risky flooded areas on day one and served food & water for 700 people, It was long day for them. Their great work and commitment was much appreciated.
Kurnool District updates:
After the initial hiccups in finding local volunteers, Manavata team planned to distribute flood relief kits [containing rice, dhal, other basic food items for cooking and clothes(saree and dhothi)] which can be stored with the feed back from local volunteers [Mr Rajasekhar and Mr Obula Reddy].
Rammohan Reddy & Lakshmi coordinated with local volunteers for a distribution of kits in Nandyal area and Mahesh coordinated with Kurnool volunteer Mr Obul Reddy for distribution in villages near Kurnool.
Emergency kits (rice, lintels, and cloths) were distributed successfully to 300 families in Manupadu near Alampur. This village was completely immersed in water during 1st week Oct’09. While we distributed these kits, people just got back to their houses and were busy in cleaning, so our help was well timed and most helpful.
Mr. Obul reddy has arranged around 5 local volunteers in the village to help our Hyderabad volunteers Amar, Aravind, Rebeca and Prakash. All of them done a great work in distribution, carefully visited all 300 houses in the village and given kits to every family.
Manavata extends its kudos to all its volunteers for their committed support both in India and abroad.
Author: Mahesh Kumar Patharlapalli, General Secretary, Manavata Bristol Chapter, UK