Puducherry L-G Tamilisai urges govt to accelerate flood relief in Yanam

PUDUCHERRY: With the Yanam reeling under severe floods for the last seven days, Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararjan on Saturday directed the administration to take steps to evacuate all residents from flooded areas to safety, and provide food, water and medical aid.This comes as the water level in Bhadrachalam, along Yanam, 0touched as 71 feet on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department warns that level may still rise.

The L-G said the rescue and relief work should be accelerated by involving voluntary groups, non-governmental organisations at a review meeting on Friday. The flood-prone areas of Yanam, that lays along the Godavari delta, should be identified, and precautionary action should be taken. "The people's representatives and local leaders should be involved. Radio, television and social media should be utilised to raise awareness about the situation. Information should be shared with the disaster recovery team from time to time," she said. Emergency help centres should be open for 24 hours, and vaccinations should be administered to those who have not received the Covid-19 and booster doses for those staying in the camp.

Meanwhile, Malladi Krishna Rao, special representative of Puducherry government in Delhi, urged the administration to provide assistance to Yanam residents on a war footing. In a video release, he said that there was very little assistance for the people facing the impact of the floods. No relief measures have been made available to them and the Regional Administrator of Yanam  has not been available in Yanam for the last 10 days.

The water level in the Godavari has reached the highest level as in 1986 and the discharge from Dawleswaram barrage is flooding areas particularly the Balayoji Nagar (where the office of Regional Administrator is situated), Francethippa, Old Rajeev Nagar, Shubhadara Nagar, Farampeta and other places. While villages are inundated, fishermen are the worst hit. The Yanam Old age home run by Rao is providing food and water. However while transporting the items by boat , the boat overturned at Yanam ferry area.