Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Rain lashes Ongole again

Special Correspondent

Slum-dwellers shift to relief camps following inundation

BACK TO SQUARE ONE: A rickshaw-puller (not in picture) taking his belongings to relief camp at Ongole on Wednesday. - Photo: Sreenivas Kommuri

ONGOLE: As heavy rain lashed Ongole town in the early hours of Wednesday, many slum areas were inundated forcing the inhabitants to return to relief camps in less than a week.

Ongole received 105 mm rainfall, which inundated Kesavarjugunta, Balineni Bharat Colony, Balaram Colony, etc., and 3,000 people left their homes and returned to three relief centres.

Following heavy rain for three days from October 28, several slums dotting the margins of Pothurajukalva were inundated and 8,000 people left their homes and reached relief centres where they were provided food and shelter for one week. Officials were still running one relief camp for people of Pragathi Colony as it was still under water.

But as water receded in other colonies, people went back after taking 20 kg rice and five litres of kerosene.

Official visits Chirala

They found to their dismay that their houses were inundated once again. They evacuated their houses once again and reached relief camps carrying the rice given to them earlier. Officials, however, heaved a sigh of relief as the rain was confined only to Ongole.

Meanwhile, Commissioner for Agriculture Poonam Malakondaiah visited Chirala for a review meeting. She asked agricultural officials to complete enumeration of crop losses without giving scope for complaints in the next two or three days and distribute paddy seed at subsidy to help farmers raise seedbeds immediately and also distribute promised compensation of Rs. 750 per acre of crop lost.

She said farmers were paid crop insurance of Rs. 500 crores in the State in the last two years.

National Agriculture Insurance Corporation Regional Manager and Director of Bureau of Statistics Saroja Rama Rao accompanied Ms. Malakondaiah.

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