KHAMMAM: Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday undertook a whirlwind tour of the flood-affected areas in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, hours before Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s visit to the flood-hit areas.
Amidst allegations of a protocol violation, the Governor visited the relief camps at Aswapuram mandal in the district and interacted with the flood-affected people sheltered there. She listened to the grievances of the displaced people, and moved by their plight, assured them that she would bring their woes to the notice of the authorities concerned.
Braving the intermittent rains, the slush and waterlogged pathways, Tamilisai visited the damaged houses and inundated paddy fields. She also distributed health kits, medicines, and tarpaulins mobilised by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and the Lions Club to the flood victims.
Hundreds of displaced people camped at the shelter camps submitted representations to the Governor and urged her to interact with them all and listen to their woes. Tamilisai has personally served food to some of the victims at the relief camp at Taringini Function Hall.
The Governor also interacted with the officials to know about the damage to the paddy fields and loss of property and livestock, and the number of people displaced or evacuated due to the inundation. She also enquired about the potential flood situation and the water level at the Godavari.
Earlier, the Governor reached Manuguru travelling overnight in a train from Secunderabad. This was the second time that the Governor travelled in a train, after the State government refused to provide a chopper to her in the past.
She visited Pamulapally village in Aswapuram mandal of the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. Later, she visited the relief camps set up at SKT Function Hall, Pamulapally and Taringini function hall at Chintiryala Colony.
Tamilisai expressed her anguish over thousands of tribals and others suffering due to floods every year. She told reporters that nothing was in her hands, but she would try to take up the matter with the State government.
Protocol not followed
Though the Governor and the Chief Minister exchanged pleasantries recently at the Raj Bhavan during the oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Justice of the High Court, the gap between the Raj Bhavan and Telangana Bhavan appears to be as wide as ever.No senior official was present to receive the Governor at Manuguru Railway station. Neither the district Collector nor the SP was present at the railway station.
Tahsildar and Additional SP rank officials received the Governor. It is not the first time that protocol was denied to the Governor. Protocol was violated when she visited the district in April to witness the Sita Rama Kalyanam. Locals expressed their displeasure over the attitude of the State government towards the First Citizen of the State.