Rajahmundry: At a time when the severe tropical cyclonic storm Hudhud is expected to make a landfall near Visakhapatnam by Sunday, a majority number of cyclone shelters which are supposed to provide shelter to the villagers residing along the coast in both the Godavari district are of no use as they are in a dilapidated condition. Though huge amount of money is being spent for the construction of cyclone shelters, the villagers are scared to take shelter in them fearing that they may collapse any time due to the high velocity winds.
For instance, two cyclone shelters at Subbampeta near Upp-ada are in a bad condition and are of no use for sheltering the villagers. A similar situation prevails at the shelters located at Uppada too . Villagers say that some of the shelters were constructed as long as 25 years ago and were abandoned.
Some of these buildings were even demolished and were used for private purposes. Some shelters said to be constructed a decade ago are also in dilapidated condition for the want of regular maintenance. Villa-gers have alleged that some buildings have became a haven for the illegal activities.
According to an estimate, nearly 200 cyclone shelters exist in East Godavari and with an exception of a few, a majority of them are not being used to provide shelter at present. Though the district authorities are evacuating several thousands of people from 13 vulnerable mandals located along the coast, they are looking for primary schools, community halls, gram panchayat buildings to accommodate the evacuated people. Similarly, in West Godavari too, the condition of cyclone shelters is no better except for a few. Though the district authorities are planning to evacuate several hundreds of people from 31 vulnerable villages of Mogaltur, Yelamanchali, Kalla, Narasapuram and Bhimavaram mandals, they are being accommodated in primary schools and other buildings.
Coastal Rights and Protection Committee chairman D. Satyanarayana said, "Villagers fear to enter into these shelters as they lack basic amenities like power and are in a very bad condition. Officials pay no attention to maintain them properly to be used during emergency."
