A lot of destruction has taken place in Srikakulam district and neighbouring coastal areas in recent Titli cyclone but Modi government at the Centre has not bothered to send a Central team of officials to assess damage nor has it released any fund to meet immediate relief operations till now.

AP CM Chandrababu Naidu has written open letters to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asking for immediate assistance to Srikakulam cyclone victims. There has been no response from them so far towards extending any help. The political rivalry between TDP and BJP has cast its shadow on the relief and rehabilitation efforts in AP now.

Seeing gross indifference of the Centre, Naidu has now demanded that the Modi government declare Titli cyclone as a ‘national calamity’ considering vast destruction that it left in its wake. About 16 persons died and 2.25 lakh families were badly hit spread over 1,802 villages. It is proposed to provide Rs. 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased. Paddy, coconut and cashew plantations were damaged.

If it is declared as a national calamity, the Centre will have to sanction huge funds and also extend additional help under national level programmes.

Naidu has been insisting on Centre to release Rs. 1,200 crore towards immediate relief. The preliminary damages in cyclone were estimated at Rs. 3,435 crore. AP CM has already accused Centre of causing anguish and pain to the State by not coming to its rescue in times of grave need just on the lines of how it responded floods crisis in Kerala a few months ago.

Despite Naidu’s many efforts, BJP leaders were not bothering to listen to him. Apparently, they seem to have no big hopes on AP in coming elections.

G Ravikiran