SAHANIVASA

FLOODS SITUATION IN KURNOOL DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

The sudden floods in four districts of Andhra Pradesh state created devastation in the lives of more than two lakhs families completely making them home less. The death toll as per the papers is increased to 200 hundred people and an unaccounted number of animals have been drown in flood water. The government has declared that the estimated loss of the floods is Rs.12,225 corers in addition to the infrastructure damage of Rs. 10,000 corers,

The floods affected districts in Kurnool are due to overflow of Thungabadra and Kundu rivers and Srislaiam dam; Mahboobnagar, Guntur and Krishna districts are due to The Krishna river floods.

All the roads and railway lines and communications system have been completely broke down. Many villages cannot be reached even today. Railway lines are assured to get repair by 10th of October. Roads cannot be repaired soon.

The state has been trying to reach out to the victims stuck in the Islands by different means – Boats, Helicopters , particularly in Krishna district , Government has been running relief camps the every area. Many philanthropic institutions have been providing food packets all over the affected places. The government has declared support at the rate of Rs.6000/ per affected family in Kurnool town only for fully damaged houses. The declared support for partially damaged houses is Rs 2000 / family.

The Krishna, Godavari district has the history of getting affected by floods and cyclones from time to time has they are located in low tide areas. The Mahabobnagar and Kurnool districts are historically dry districts and are frequently affected by drought. It is first time in the History after 100 years they have been affected so badly.

Details of Kurnool District : Kurnool District comprises 3 Revenue Divisions, 54 Revenue Mandals, 53 Mandal Parishads, One Municipal Corporation, 3 Municipalities, 899 Gram Panchayats (Notified – 7, Non notified – 862 ), 920 Revenue Villages and 615 Hamlet Villages.

The total number of Mandals affected due to floods are 14 in Kurnool district, that includes Kurnool district head quarters and also Nandyal Municipality.

KURNOOL DISTRICT MAP SHOWING SIX AFFECTED MANDALS IN COLOUR WHERE KUNDU RIVER AND SRISAILAM DAM ARE OVER FLOODED.

Name of the Mandals colored above are proposing for relief.

  1. GOSUPADU
  2. BANDI ATMAKUR
  3. VELEGODU
  4. NANDYAL
  5. PAMALUAPADU
  6. KOTHAPALLI

Mr. Chennaiah had to travel 24 hrs to reach Nandyal which is at the distance of 350 kms from Chittoor (Due to inaccessibility of the roads). The team comprises of Ms.K.S.Lakshmi District Secretary APVVU, Mr.Lakshmi Naryana District President of APVVU & Ms.Savithramma Mandal Secretary have visited the above mentioned head quarters to assess the situation and also met the people in camps. APVVU has been working in 12 mandals of Kurnool district for the last 10 years having membership of 67300. Today, 6 out of 12 mandals are badly affected. Hence, it is proposed for immediate relief to whatever the extent is possible to help the victims. The population details of the affected villages in the above mandals in presented in table 1 below.

DETAILS OF PROPOSED EMERGENCY PROJECT VILLAGES AFFECTED BY FLOODS
CASTE WISE FAMILIES / POPULATION DETAILS
S.NO / MANADALS / VILLAGES / TOTAL
FAMILIES / SC - dalit’s / ST - Medara / BC - / OC / Total Population / FEMALE / MALE / CHILDREN
1 / GOSUPADU / 1.Rapadu / 513 / 103 / 26 / 154 / 230 / 2823 / 1317 / 1506 / 1129
2.S.Kullure / 453 / 91 / 26 / 136 / 203 / 2493 / 1162 / 1331 / 997
3.Thelapuri / 727 / 146 / 36 / 218 / 326 / 4000 / 1869 / 2131 / 1600
2 / BANDIATMAKUR / 4.Bandiatmakur / 1553 / 311 / 78 / 466 / 698 / 8543 / 3979 / 4564 / 3417
Savithraamma / 5.Ramampuram / 417 / 84 / 21 / 167 / 145 / 2295 / 1072 / 1223 / 918
9959932387 / 6.Santhajuturu / 512 / 103 / 26 / 204 / 179 / 2819 / 1314 / 1505 / 1128
7.Bodanam / 472 / 94 / 80 / 189 / 109 / 2597 / 1212 / 1385 / 1039
8.Kakanauru / 312 / 62 / 16 / 125 / 109 / 1718 / 812 / 906 / 601
3 / VELEGODU / 9.Velapanuru / 1221 / 244 / 150 / 488 / 339 / 6718 / 3132 / 3586 / 2351
RamaRao / 10.Ayavaripalli / 627 / 125 / 32 / 251 / 219 / 3452 / 1609 / 1843 / 1208
11.Madavaram / 712 / 142 / 36 / 285 / 249 / 3918 / 1832 / 2086 / 1371
12.Abdullapuram / 457 / 91 / 23 / 183 / 160 / 2555 / 1195 / 1360 / 894
4 / NANDYAL
Kumar / 13.Munagalla / 612 / 122 / 0 / 200 / 290 / 3367 / 1571 / 1796 / 1347
9392214758 / 14.Guntanalla / 522 / 104 / 0 / 220 / 198 / 2891 / 1352 / 1539 / 1156
15.Bhimavaram / 557 / 111 / 0 / 300 / 146 / 3068 / 1432 / 1636 / 1227
5 / PAMALUAPADU / 16.Esakala / 2071 / 414 / 42 / 622 / 104 / 11412 / 5329 / 6083 / 3994
Padmanabaraju / 17.Vempenta / 2235 / 447 / 48 / 671 / 112 / 12301 / 5729 / 6572 / 4305
Age : 40 / 18.Madyouru / 1054 / 210 / 22 / 317 / 53 / 5799 / 2705 / 3094 / 2030
19.Rudravanam / 558 / 111 / 12 / 168 / 28 / 4000 / 1872 / 2128 / 1400
20.Lingala / 546 / 109 / 11 / 164 / 28 / 3021 / 1415 / 1606 / 1057
21.Chilimili / 723 / 144 / 15 / 217 / 37 / 4012 / 1865 / 2147 / 1605
6 / KOTHAPALLI
LakshmiNaryana / 22.Sivapuram / 212 / 106 / 5 / 64 / 37 / 1178 / 552 / 626 / 530
23.SIngarajupalli / 251 / 125 / 6 / 76 / 44 / 1389 / 658 / 731 / 625
24.Chinagummadapuram / 153 / 76 / 4 / 46 / 27 / 912 / 434 / 478 / 410
25.Musalamadagu / 582 / 291 / 12 / 175 / 104 / 3212 / 1512 / 1700 / 1445
26.Eramatam / 591 / 295 / 12 / 178 / 106 / 3268 / 1541 / 1727 / 1471
27.Janalagudam / 597 / 298 / 12 / 180 / 107 / 3298 / 1542 / 1756 / 1319
28.Sidayesapuram / 362 / 181 / 8 / 109 / 64 / 1998 / 947 / 1051 / 799
29.Kaplieswaram / 114 / 57 / 3 / 35 / 19 / 635 / 315 / 320 / 254
30.Madagulla / 387 / 193 / 8 / 117 / 69 / 2138 / 1012 / 1126 / 855
31.Theduvaripalli / 453 / 226 / 10 / 136 / 81 / 2498 / 1174 / 1324 / 874
32.Nagampalli / 218 / 109 / 5 / 66 / 38 / 2000 / 947 / 1053 / 700
33.chenchvullu colony / 57 / 0 / 2 / 18 / 37 / 378 / 207 / 171 / 151
34.Battuvrai palli / 121 / 60 / 3 / 0 / 58 / 689 / 329 / 360 / 276
35.Kokyearanchsa / 181 / 90 / 4 / 55 / 32 / 1021 / 498 / 523 / 408
36.Gokavaram / 520 / 90 / 4 / 55 / 371 / 2892 / 1364 / 1528 / 1157
TOTALS / 21653 / 5565 / 798 / 7055 / 5156 / 121308 / 56807 / 64501 / 46052

As can be seen from the table above there are a large number of people who have not been receiving any help from the Govt so far. Going by the historic track record of the Govt, it is unlikely that these villages will receive assistance for flood relief. It is in this context that we propose the relief operations in these villages as described below.

The proposed short term relief items for the people are –

  1. Basic Clothing.
  2. Sleeping materials such as Mats and Bed sheets.
  3. Cooking utensils and food grains.
  4. Drinking water facilities and First aid materials to get out of the water born diseases.

APVVU has deployed it’s 220 volunteers in 3 districts – Kurnool (70 from Chittoor, Ananthapur and Kadapa districts) , Mahaboobnagar ( 75 from Nalgonda, Khammam, districts ) and Krishna( 75 from West Godavari and Visakapatnam) to help the APVVU local cader to mobilize the relief from the government and other sources. financially so far Rs. 45000 is mobilized from Chittoor and Nellore districts and lot of food grains and clothes are also collected which will be distributed in couple of days time- Once the roads are ready at minimum level to reach the villages.

The estimated cost of the budget is proposed below table in Indian Rupees .

S.No / Activity / Details of materials required for a family of 5 / Cost / Family
1 / Basic Clothing / Saree, Dhothi, Towel, Children's clothes / 1000
2 / Mats, Bedsheets / Two mats and Two bedsheets / 550
3 / Cooking utensils / Three cooking vessels with plates and eating plates, 3 glasses, one spoon / 500
4 / Food Grains / Dal, other basic provisions (salt, oil etc). Expecting the state to provide rice for one month / 400
5 / Drinking Water / First Aid / Water purification (Chlorine tablets etc) and Medical kits to prevent against Water born diseases / 200
Total / 2650

A total of Rs 2650 per family has been estimated for the immediate short term relief work. The relief measures are estimated per family and depends on the availability of the funds we can take up the rehabilitation in the number of mandals.

Beyond the immediate short term relief, these villages would also need rehabilitation support, which will be requested under a separate proposal.

Some press clippings

KURNOOL

Hunger pangs: Relief material finally reaches marooned villages.

Barrage damaged

KURNOOL: The Sunkesula barrage across the Tungabhadra river has suffered extensive damage owing to the flash floods on October 2.

The earth bund, almost to a distance of one kilometre, has been washed away on either side

Prices of essential commodities spiral

KURNOOL: Residents of Kurnool city have been reeling under shortage of essential commodities including milk, vegetable and fruits and high prices. The prices soared on account of a huge gap on the demand-supply front.

Prices were 20 per cent higher than the normal on all commodities. Even though consumers are willing to pay a higher price, some of the commodities vanished from the shelves. The situation is expected to move from bad to worse once the families in the affected areas clean up their houses and start fresh buying.

KOTHAPALLY (KURNOOL DT.): The misery of hundreds of families in this mandal, deluged by the surging backwaters of Srisailam reservoir, is slowly unfolding as is the callous attitude of officials in reaching out to victims.

Located about 90 km from Kurnool, Kothapally presents a classic example of how a dozen-odd villages were battered by unprecedented floods in Tungabhadra and Hundri that led record inflows into Srisailam reservoir. Five days after the flood hit this area, a large tract of agriculture fields looks like a lake and houses still lie under a sheet of water. Road communication to several villages has snapped.

Heart-rending picture

A five-hour-long journey in a mechanised boat on Tuesday in the backwaters of Srisailam reservoir to Singarajapalle, Pathamadugula and Yerramattam villages, the first by any journalist, presented a heart-rending picture of the devastation left behind by the nature’s fury. Collapsed houses, street after street in knee-deep slush, unbearable stench emanating from the carcass of animals greeted The Hindu team when it toured the devastated villages. Two boats brought relief material to the flood hit areas that were arranged by former TDP Minister Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy. There was a mad scramble for the relief materials as the victims rushed towards the approaching boat unmindful of the risk of entering four-to-five-foot-deep water.

Singarajapalle was a picture of despondency as the entire population of 1,200 was left shelterless. The height of the flood was evident when dried grass was found entangled in electricity poles. S. Anjaneyulu, who returned to Singarajapalle, said they had to flee in the middle of the night as flood waters started entering the house. Balamma said: “My children and I had to carry my husband, who is recuperating after an accident, and run to a safe place.”

The 20-km boat ride to Pathamadugula village over 15 feet of water on the submerged agriculture fields was classical example of how the fishermen community here faced the brunt of floods. “Overturned putty (country boats) and damaged nylon nets are all that is left for us,” bemoaned Jinkala Venkateswarulu, a fishermen, who escaped with his family to the elevated Nallamala Hills on one side of the village.

In Yerramattam, another village cut off to the outside world for the last four days, villagers were desperate for food. “We went without food for the last two days. The last time we ate was on Sunday when a helicopter dropped food packets,” said Shaik Akthar while recalling the harrowing time in foothills of Nallamala forest where they took shelter.

Flood situation eased slightly in Nandyal on Monday as the water level in the Kundu declined by a metre. The violent river made a narrow way for people to cross the railway bridge from Kurnool side while the road bridge was still under water.