A sea of sorrow engulfs victims as flood recedes

Vijayawada: The department of municipal administration and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation took up a massive sanitation drive in the flood-affected colonies here on Monday.

They removed thousands of tons of waste materials and garbage as the floodwater receded in many colonies. The VMC announced that cleaning operations were completed under the limits of 66 ward secretariats by 4 pm. VMC commissioner Dhyana Chandra said that the department of municipal administration has drafted 32 IAS officers to 32 municipal divisions in the city to monitor the cleaning operations.

Besides, 62 nodal officers, 950 sanitation supervisors and 6830 sanitation workers were drafted for the duty by the Department of Municipal Administration and Urban Development. The sanitation work may be completed in two or three days. But drizzle and occasional rains are hampering the sanitation works. Hundreds of tractors, dumpers and other vehicles are being used for lifting the garbage from the city.

The flood victims with heavy hearts and deep sorrow are assessing the loss they suffered due to flash floods on September 1. Many traders are removing the damaged stocks and calculating the loss they suffered. Footwear, clothes, fancy, grocery shops, medical stores and many others were in six feet deep water for five to six days.

Denizens are dumping the damaged household materials into the streets. The flash floods damaged the household articles, books, beds, pillows, electric and electronic goods, and groceries.

The Budameru flash floods left behind bitter memories to the poor and middleclass people, who are living in the small houses. These flood victims did not have time and space to save their belongings because within minutes the houses were submerged and four to six feet of water entered the houses.

The NDRF teams, State Fire Services Department teams, medical teams and other department officials and staff prepared to leave Vijayawada by Monday as flood water receded in majority colonies. The sanitation workers are sprinkling bleaching powder and trying to check the outbreak of diseases. Revenue, civil supplies, medical and health and other departments rendered invaluable service to the flood victims for nine days and tried to bring back normalcy in the city.