Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) stated that 1,467 victims from the Musi flood-affected areas in Malakpet, Amberpet, and Goshamahal Circles; have been shifted to 10 temporary shelters in schools and community halls which have been converted to rehabilitation centers.
GHMC officials said that food, drinking water, health camps, and medical services have been made available to the victims at these centers.
According to a statement issued by GHMC on Saturday, September 27, GHMC commissioner RV Karnan inspected these rehabilitation centers from time to time, and instructed the officials to be vigilant always, ensuring that the people didn’t face any inconvenience.
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Civil society organisations write to collector
“Despite prior appeals made by civil society delegations to the Mayor and GHMC Commissioner for advance intimation and public alerts before gate openings, including during a discussion held on August 30 following the tragic incident in which a person named Salim was washed away in the Musi waters, no such communication or alert was issued to the communities this time,” alleged a collective comprising the basti people and around two dozen people’ organisations.
In a letter to district collector D Hari Chandana on Saturday, September 27, the activists alleged that the issued flood alerts have not meaningfully reached those adversely affected by the floods and those whose homes were inundated with flood water.
“This lack of timely in-person warnings at community level took away the crucial time needed for families to move to safer locations, protect their belongings, and take preventive measures. As a result, several low-lying areas have experienced flooding as high as 9 to 10 feet, leading to widespread distress,” they stated.
“While we acknowledge and appreciate the ongoing efforts by the administration to provide immediate accommodation and food, the scale and severity of the current situation demand enhanced and urgent relief measures,” they stressed.
The activists urged the district administration to establish additional temporary shelters close to the affected areas to accommodate the approximately 200 families currently displaced.
They requested timely provision of food, clean drinking water, clothes, sanitation, and medical aid in coordination with local volunteers and civil society groups.
They also suggested the authorities to coordinate with the women and child welfare department to accommodate women and children in women’s shelters as part of the ongoing emergency relief efforts.
Health camps and vector control drives to prevent outbreaks of waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases were sought.
After the completion of emergency relief operations, the organisation, the district administration was urged to initiate a comprehensive damage assessment survey in coordination with local community representatives, and compensation to all affected families for loss of household goods, structural damages, and other losses.
They stressed that the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) should take responsibility for issuing prior alerts and coordinating community-level warnings before the release of water from the reservoirs.
“Create a community early warning system involving GHMC, Disaster Management Authority, Water Board, and local leaders to prevent such avoidable distress,” they suggested.
They urged the Govt and district administration to act with urgency and compassion, taking coordinated measures to address the current crisis and prevent similar incidents in the future.
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