The havoc wrought by Cyclone Hudhud provided an opportunity to rebuild slums, national convener of National Alliance for People’s Movement Medha Patkar has said.
She visited Paidimamba Colony, Gandhinagar, Ramamurthypantulupeta, Ambedkarnagar and Ekalavya Colony battered by the cyclone in the city on Friday and interacted with the residents there.
Those living in the slums were the worst sufferers without a buffer or relatives’ places to visit but relief came to them in instalments like rice one day, dal later, she said demanding that a special package be announced to them.
Also wherever calamities struck, whether it was Gujarat earthquake or Kosi floods, Food for Work was organised but it was not happening here though for 13 days their livelihood was affected, Ms. Patkar said.
Those living on government land were always assured of relief but never got it properly, she said. Even those who were surveying the loss were enumerating it as zero damage in slums, she pointed out.
Half of the slum-dwellers did not even have ration cards though enumeration was done several times, she said.
She gave a representation to District Collector N. Yuvaraj on the problems faced by the cyclone-affected people. An environmental group from Sompeta accompanied her during the visit.
On Saturday, she will visit fishermen habitations and farmers.
