Andhra Pradesh Flood Relief Activities 2009 "2009 October" - Andhra Pradesh, was inundated in water. Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda, Krishna, Guntur districts and several other villages were affected by the severe floods for more than a week. VTSeva organized massive immediate flood relief programs by providing food, clothing, utensils etc. to several flood victims on time.
For the first time, 20 tonnes of seeds were given by VT to flood affected farmers Photos Here
On 23rd and 24th of October, HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji arranged to distribute Maize seeds to the farmers. 20 Tons of high yielding good variety seeds (worth about Rs.25 Lakhs) were sponsored by Smt. Vanaja & Sriman Gundavaram Bhaskar Rao of M/S Kaveri Seeds company Ltd. in response to the call of HH Sri Swamiji. Sriman G.Gangaraju from Vijayawada Laila Group of companies also sponsored for some part of maize seeds to about 2500 acres. This is for the first time ever, any one distributing seeds freely to the farmers keeping their sustenance in view. When VT Volunteers surveyed in the villages that were worsely affected by the floods, most of the people asked for seeds. Many people are giving food which satisfies the immediate hunger but they were asking, "what to do as we lost all the crops and no body is doing any thing for that?".
Observing the situation, HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji decided to distribute seeds and plants to the farmers. Some of them asked for plantain saplings while many asked for Maize seeds. HH arranged for 1 lakh Saplings of Plantains brought from Ravulapalem, Amalapuram etc. of Godavari Districts. Though there are many farmers who depend on turmeric and other such commercial crops, every one opted for Maize crops now as it grows fast and gives immediate relief and they can continue the remaining crops later. They have opted for the best variety that is high yielding good variety Kaveri50. An acre requires about 8 Kg of seeds so on 24th on behalf of VT Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji reached few villages like Damuluru Mulapadu etc and distributed about 7500 Kgs of seeds. Again on 26th Oct, the other 12500 Kgs of seeds were distributed to all about 1600 farmer families. Farmers are extremely happy for this generous gesture of HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji. As this concept of giving seeds is first introduced by HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji through VT in favour of farmers, there was a great change in the way of supporting the flood victims, even among other people and organisations that organised the help drive to the victims. This, in fact, Governments would have taken up. But, HH with the help of sponsors and devoted volunteers was able to do this in a most wonderful way through VT. Farmers expressed their great happiness and HH blessed them to recover soon and have a nice life ahead.
In fact, for the first time, distributing utensils and household articles along with rice, pulses etc., was introduced by HH during the relief operations of Konaseema Cyclone in 1996. Earlier, only food packs and clothes were distributed to the cyclone / flood hit people, even by the governments. Some organisations/Governments used to give them monies. HH Sri Swamiji along with the VT Volunteers personally went to the villages with many trucks of survival packs each costing to about Rs.2000/- and distributed several thousands to many sufferers irrespective of religion, caste or creed while many other organisations did only for their identified communities. Each survival pack consisted of bucket, water pot, daily utensils all made of metal, Hurricane lamp, Rice Bag, pulses and other additional groceries, Oil Packet, Tamarind, readymade flours etc.
Though this time the survival packs numbering about 10,000 were the target, the next important is their survival until they stand on their own. So giving seeds has been identified as the need and it was taken up by VT.
As per the Survey conducted by active volunteers of VT, there are about 2234 farmers who lost 3516.67 acres of crops in few villages of the Guntur District Kolluru Mandal and Kollipara Mandal. Sriman Veeranarayana along with other VT Volunteers from Tenali, Sriman Suryanarayana, Sriman Ramaraju, Murali, Rajeshwari, Durga, G.Venkataratnam, Srinivas, MDO Sriman Srinivas from Ponnunur, Sriman Narayan Reddy, G.Badarinath, G.Raghunath, Mallikarjuna Rao, Kishore, NCC Cadets from Khajipalem, NSS cadets from Kollur Jr. College , KVR Degree College Khajipalem, G.V.S.R Jr. College Kollure, Viveka Educational Institutions Guntur and many other volunteers participated in collecting data and distributing kits.
Jeeyar Humanities team of doctors from Tenali conducted Veterinary Camps and Medical Camps in the flood affected areas . The data colleged on the loss of crops were cross checked by the records available with MDO/MRO/VRO Agricultural officers, Sarpanches, Adarsa Farmers and ensured best accuracy.
In Krishna District, Smt. K.Seethamahalakshmi, along with Sriman G.Rangarao, VV Raghavan, K.Niranjan, Durga have surveyed the flood affected villages and distributed the food, clothes, survival kits.
While distributing the seeds of Maize to the farmers they have ensured by taking a declaration from each of the farmers that the seeds received by them free of cost will be used by them and will not be sold or given to any one else. A list of farmers who have already seeded blackgram etc., was already prepared and ensured that these free seeds will go to the really required farmers only.
HH Sri Swamiji giving all the necessary instructions and arranging the groups of VT volunteers for the distribution, left to Dar es salaam, East Africa Tanzania for participating in the programme over there from 24th to 29th Oct. While HH is monitoring the activity over here, the distribution programmes went on extremely well in favour of deserving farmers. HH offered Mangalasasanams for all those who contributed in every way possible in this noble mission of serving the society.
At Zaheerabad, Medak Dt Photos Here
VT also conducted relief operations at Zaheerabad in Medak District and Sulthanpur. As part of the relief efforts, Free Medical Camps and Free Veterinary Camps were also conducted.
At Thippalakatta near Repalle, Remote Areas of Guntur Dt Thippalakatta Photos Here - 2009 Oct 12
VT conducted Flood Relief Camps at Thippalakatta near Repalle Guntur Dist. HH Sri Ahobila Jeeyar Swamiji along with many VT Volunteers participated in the flood relief operations. About 800 Flood Relief Kits were distributed to the affected families. Clothes, fruits, biscuits, food supplies, bread etc were distributed to people (including kids) badly affected in remote areas of Guntur District who were eagerly waiting for help.
At Pesara Lanka near Repalle, Guntur Dt Photos Here
VT conducted Flood Relief Operations at
Pesara Lanka near Repalle Guntur Dist. Several VT Volunteers, Sriman P.Venkatacharya, Sriman Govind participated. About 500 flood relief kits were distributed to the flood victims and families.
In Kurnool Dt, Interior places, Remote areas of Mahaboobnagar Dt including Alampur
VT volunteers along with Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami and President VT Sriman Mahender Reddy, Organiser Sriman Padmanabha Rao, went through Kurnool District to go into the interior places of Mahaboobnagar Dist that were badly affected by the flood. The roads were very bad and taking material to those places has been a big ordeal.
As our Volunteers reached the Alampur Mandal, Mahaboobnagar Dist., Local MLA Sriman Rajeswara Raddy who is looking after the relief operations, received the VT team and expressed joy over HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji's grace into this remote area to help the flood victims. All the villagers felt extreme joy and pulledup the lostcourage to work in clearing all the remaining problems, as the flood started receding after damaging many villages in Mahaboobnagar and the Kurnool town itself.
Village people said that no body is taking care of these remote areas which were severely affected by the flood. By HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji's divine grace VT reached this place also to help the really needed people. Sriman Rajeswara Reddy and other Govt. officials too helped the VT team to distribute the kits prepared by the VT volunteers to help the families of the victims.
At Sulthanapuram, Jillapadu, Byranapalli villages Photos Here
About 1000 kits were distributed to deserving families. The villagers of Sultanapuram, Jillapadu, Byranapalli and few places around were covered by this VT team in distributing the kits. Each kit contained many daily required items like bucket, Steel Water pot, steel plates, vessels, tumblers, pulses, tamarind, spices, Oils, clothes etc. Each kit costed to about Rs.2000/- However, Vikasatarangini with all its efforts was able to inform many of our Bhagavad Bandhus to participate generously in this first phase of Flood relief operations. The Village Sultanapuram is mostly populated by Muslims. Our VT Volunteers and Sri Ahobila Jeeyar Swami distributed kits to all the victims irrespective of any religion or race. He also conveyed Mangalasasams to all the donors who came forward in this endeavour.
At Adoni, Katharam Mandal
After Sultanpuram, VT team visited Adoni, Katharam Mandal. Sriman Chalapathi Rao Chennai VT is coming on a special visit to help the flood victims in few more villages. HH SRI Chinnajeeyar Swamiji is monitoring all the flood relief activity from time to time though HH is in USA.
Near Amaravathi
Under the guidance of HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, HH Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji went along with VT Volunteers from Guntur and Vijayawada to different villages towards Amaravathi and distributed food, water, blankets etc. People were sitting crowded along the high land humps while their houses were totally drowned in flood waters. Though Govt. machinery is helping the people, there are places inside the waters where there is little help. VT reached such places too and distributed food packs, water etc.
HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji along with VT.President Sriman P. Mahinder Reddy and Co-ordinators Sriman Dr. Padmanabha Rao and Sriman Bhavani Prasad along with VT Volunteers have rushed to the village Penchikalapadu of Pebberu Mandal, Mahaboobnagar Dist. on 6th Oct 2009. The group visited the affected places and observed the loss while the village women explained the situation of this sudden flood. All the villagers assembled at the Hanuman Temple which is under construction.
Villagers explained the details and also showed how the cattle also was affected. Though cattle survived, there is no food for cattle as the stored feed was in waters and most of it got polluted. For immediate need, cattle feed was supplied in tractors. Kits containing all the material viz., Metal Bucket, steel pot for water, vessels, Rice, Pulses, Candles including match boxes, were distributed by HH Sri Swamiji. Unlike few other organisations, help is provided to all irrespective of caste, race, religion to which the victims belong. Those people have asked for "putti"s the small boats which they use for fishing. Those fishermen depend on them for their living. Arrangements for providing them were also made.
HH asked the villagers to give up the habit of "drinking" for atleast two days a week. For which, village Sarpanch, Anasuyamma made an appeal to all the villagers. Everyone agreed and took an oath that they do so and also HH made them take an oath that they themselves will work for development of their village, rather than waiting for someone's help. All the village heads and the local MLA and other officials took part in this activity. HH said that VT team will be proceeding to other Villages near Alampur which were also worstly affected by this flood to conduct various service activities to the flood victims.
HH also offered blessings to the VT Vanaparthy team who helped the service activity in this area. VT Seva is going ahead with the volunteer teams coming from different places.
Remote Areas of Mahaboobnagar Dt
Photos Here
VT is supplying food packs to the flood victims in Andhra Pradesh. It is preparing kits for distribution to the people who are in need in the areas of Mahaboobnagar District. Each kit contains, bucket, steel water pot, 4 steel plates, 4 steel tumblers, 4 serving spoons, 5 Kg. Rice, Pulses pack, tamarind pack, Salt, Oil packet, candles, matchboxes etc.
VT members have made a survey in Mahaboobnagar District villages by personally visiting the places. Vanaparthi VT Volunteers are helping them out in making the survey and identifying the places and the people who are affected. Water started receding and many villages were highly affected.
Sriman Mahender Reddy, Sriman Dr.P. Padmanabharao and Sriman P.Bhavani Prasad and a group of Vanaparthi VT Volunteers have rushed to the affected villages where water is receding.
At Villages of Pebberu and Veepanagandla Mandal, Mahaboobnagar Dt Photos Here
VT Members group visited Pebberu Mandal, Veepanagandla Mandal villages and conducted the survey. They met the Government Officials like MPDO, MPTC Members, RDO, MDO and Civil Supplies Minister Sriman Jupalli Krishnarao who are all in the service of the flood victims. VT Selected villages which are worst affected to provide the kits to those people. VTSeva Founder HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji is personally monitoring all the service activities, procuring the material and distribution. The worst affected Alampur Mandal villages will be taken up in the next round.
Oct 4 2009 Photos Here
VTSeva volunteers are preparing foodpackets and biscuits etc. and distributing them in different places of the flood affected areas. Arrangements are being done by VTSEVA under the guidance of HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji for supporting the flood victims in different ways, providing immediate services to the people for their better relief from this devastating catastrophe. VTSEVA gave a call to all the interested to take active part in supporting the service activity in every way possible.
Many VTSeva units are trying to reach the places and help out the flood victims.
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