VIJAYAWADA: Amid the severe flooding caused by the overflowing Budameru rivulet, thousands of people have been stranded in their homes for the past two days, struggling to access water and food. However, there have been reports of local fishermen and others involved in rescue and distribution operations allegedly profiting by demanding money from those they are helping.
Residents of the worst-hit areas, including Bhavanipuram, Vidyadharapuram, Old RR Pet, Rajiv Nagar, Ajit Singh Nagar, Payakapuram, Ambapuram, Gollapudi, and others, have complained to the authorities, but their pleas have gone unanswered. People in Bhavanipuram expressed their frustration with the ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts, criticising officials for failing to stop fishermen and private boat operators from charging fees.
“We were stuck in our flooded homes for two days, and it was painful to see fishermen and boat operators demanding money for transporting food and evacuating people,” said Pawan Kalyan, a resident of Ekalavya Nagar. “When I asked a boat operator for help, he demanded Rs 1,000 per person. Even when I reported the issue to the authorities, they did nothing.”
In response to these allegations, a senior official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that they were hesitant to take action against the fishermen, fearing it might disrupt rescue operations. “When someone filed a complaint about being overcharged, we attempted to intervene, but the fishermen were offended and stopped participating in the rescue efforts. This could worsen the situation for those in need,” the officer explained.
Many areas in the West constituency are submerged, and despite the involvement of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, expert swimmers, and fishermen, residents have struggled to receive basic supplies.