NELLORE: In a first-of-its-kind operation, the Nellore district administration has been utilising the services of volunteers for relief work. A dedicated team of around 30-50 members has been deputed for relief and rehabilitation activities in areas that are likely to be affected by the cyclone.
The district has a coastline spanning 169 km and covering 12 coastal mandals from Tada to Sullurupeta. There are 108 villages and as many as 1.98 lakh people from the fishermen community who reside in those villages. In fact, officials usually have a tough time trying to reach the fishermen villages during natural disasters.
But this time, volunteers, who are from the families that reside in the area, have been supporting the district administration. “They were given printed copies of the measures to be taken by them and the public. They have been raising awareness among the families in their limits in the district,” said Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu, adding that text messages are being sent to people to alert them about the cyclone.
100 relief centres set up in Nellore district
“We set up 100 relief centres with a capacity of 3,000 families in Nellore district. We will also use schools and government offices as shelter homes. We have been shifting people to shelter homes and providing food and drinking water to inmates. Generators and medical equipment were kept ready at Community Health Care centres, Primary Health Care centres in the district for providing medical services to the people,” Collector Chakradhar Babu said