KAKINADA: In a tragic incident, 21 thatched houses of tribal people got reduced to ashes on Tuesday afternoon at Kannayyagutta village in the merged mandal of Velerupadu mandal in Eluru district.
Farmers and farm labourers who had resided there had gone to harvest their chilli crop in the vicinity when they saw flames leaping into the sky. They rushed back only to see their houses totally gutted.
They said they had recently got their compensation amounts from Polavaram Project authorities using which they purchased household articles like refrigerators, TVs, grinders, two wheelers and alamarahs. Some purchased gold ornaments and kept their cash in their respective houses.
“All our belongings have been reduced to ashes. We now possess only the clothes we are wearing,” said a weeping Karam Daraiah. Others could be seen at the spot crying inconsolably.
Velerupadu mandal tahsildar K. Chellanna Dora told Deccan Chronicle that 20 houses have been fully gutted and one partially damaged. 26 families with 67 members had been residing in the thatched houses. Government will provide them their dinner tonight, apart from 10 kilos of rice and one-kilo dal as immediate relief.
He said the victims want to shift to houses allotted to them in the Relief and Rehabilitation Colony at Swarnavari Gudem after completing their current agricultural operations in June.
According to an estimate, each victim would have lost over ₹6 lakh worth goods in the fire. Velerupadu sub-inspector R. Srinu and his team are assisting the victims with legal formalities.
