Hyderabad rains: Watchmen of apartments suffer due to inundation of living quarters

HYDERABAD: Among the worst hit by the floods in the city have been families of watchmen and caretakers of apartment blocks, who are usually given a room or two in the basements or cellars.

Many such families reported loss of all their belongings, including appliances and television sets, refrigerators, clothes, beds and books of their school-going children.

In spite of the pain they are going through, the apartment owners expect these workers to ensure that the regular work of flushing out of water, pumping the regular water to the tanks and other daily chores, are not affected.

K. Veerababu, a caretaker and watchman at Saketh Apartment in Domalguda, said all his belongings were inundated in the cellar in which a room was given to him, where he lived along with his wife and two daughters.

“Around 11 pm, water started flooding and soon began rising and by the time we realised it was more than knee high. The children suffered a lot. Their books turned into trash and our belongings are damaged,” he said.

Veerababu and his family came to Hyderabad seven years ago in search of a better life from a village near Draksharamam, East Godavari district.

“On Thursday the rain stopped but there was no electricity. I am a full-time caretaker. Since the electricity supply was shut, we looked for a petrol motor to pump out the water. Even after constant complaints, electricity department personnel did not turn up,” he said.

An apartment complex resident, S. Sulekha, said “It’s been five days without electricity. On Saturday I called GHMC corporator Lasya Nandita. She responded and helped us get power back that helped us in getting the water in the cellar pumped out.”

Mamidala Bharath, 25, a caretaker and watchman at Sai Keerthi Residency Apartments at Yellareddyguda lives with his parents in the cellar of the building. Tuesday’s flood submerged all his belongings. “I was asleep and when I woke up the water was hip high. With my savings from over the years, I was able to buy a TV, and a few good clothes, now everything has gone to waste. My parents now sleep near the steps at the building gate and I am sleeping at my friend’s place as we have no other place to go,” he said.

His parents had migrated to Hyderabad 20 years back and joined as caretakers of the same apartments.