The Cyclone Titli that wreaked havoc in Srikakulam district last week devastated several areas. Even after a week, the people are still suffering from lack of food, drinking water supply and electricity.
Anybody who visits the cyclone hit Uddanam and other areas can vouch for the fact that the Chandrababu Naidu government has miserably failed to undertake timely relief and rehabilitation measures.
Despite claiming of having technology that can warn the people about the impending cyclones, the Naidu government did not take any precautionary measures.
Many people who visited the areas said the state administration could not rise to the occasion and take cyclone mitigation measures.
The locals are expressing serious anger over the delay in supply of food and drinking water. There are reports of sporadic protests by cyclone-affected people.
Of course, the chief minister and his son Nara Lokesh have been camping in the affected areas to supervise the restoration works and a dozen other cabinet colleagues are also being involved in the relief works.
But there have been protests wherever they were going as the relief works are not up to the mark. Apparently, Naidu is also frustrated and he has stooped to the level of threatening the protesting villagers for hampering relief works.
Not many people outside Srikakulam are able to know what exactly has been happening in the cyclone-hit areas.
But known for his publicity mania, Naidu has been giving an impression to the outside world that his government has been doing its best and the restoration works are going on at a fast pace.
Every day in and day out, press releases are being sent to the media houses making tall claims about the restoration works in Srikakulam and the media has been reporting the same, rather than the ground realities.
What is worse, the Naidu administration has also put up massive hoardings in Vijayawada and Amaravati areas on how Naidu is personally supervising relief works in Srikakulam.
Some hoardings also showed that womenfolk in cyclone hit areas are offering “harathi” to Naidu to show their appreciation for his hard work.
This is nothing but cheap publicity. At a time when the people in cyclone hit areas are still suffering and are protesting against the indifferent attitude of the officials, Naidu sought to gain publicity by spending lakhs of rupees on hoardings to boost up his image.
What is the point in putting up hoardings in Amaravati, when the cyclone has hit Srikakulam?