VISAKHAPATNAM: A day after a fire and explosion at a road construction site claimed seven lives in Bisimamidi village under Pinakota panchayat in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, residents of nearby Peechumamidi village have sought government assistance, stating that the blast damaged their houses.
Recounting the sequence of events on the day of the blast, the villagers said the incident occurred around 20 metres from their settlement, damaging walls and scattering roof sheets.
“We were away at our podu cultivation fields when we heard the loud blast. On returning, we found cracks in the walls and roof sheets dislodged, leaving parts of our houses exposed to the sky,” they claimed.
With the roofs damaged, they fear they will have nowhere to take shelter if it rains. The villagers said they lacked the money to repair their houses and also suffered crop damage.
They appealed to the Alluri Sitarama Raju district Collector to arrange immediate assistance, including roofing sheets and cement, and provide new houses where necessary.
They also urged the Paderu Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Project Officer to visit the village, assess the damage and ensure that the affected families receive relief. CPM district executive committee member K Govinda Rao demanded that the ITDA PO visit the village without delay and take steps to address the grievances of the tribal residents.
Chinta Banni, Korra Jammulu and other villagers joined the appeal for government assistance.