Mee Seva offices close doors on flood victims
Thousands line up only to be told that money will be credited
Mee Seva centres across the city saw another flood of people on Monday with thousands of them lining up at these offices in various parts of the city to apply for `10,000 flood relief that the state government had promised to victims of floods that hit the state in October.
Though cash compensation had reached many victim families soon after floods, the government subsequently announced that those who had suffered apply through Mee Seva centres. Post filing of applications at these centres, families continued to receive `10,000 per household till the Code of Conduct for elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) council kicked in. Compensation to beneficiaries got stalled after that.
At that time, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao assured victims that those who had not get compensation could apply from December 7 onwards.
As a result, hundreds of people started forming queues from 3 am onwards on Monday at Mee Seva centres in the city to apply for compensation. When it was found that the portal was not opening, GHMC commissioner Lokesh Kumar issued a note around Monday noon announcing that flood victims need not approach Mee Seva centres for filing applications. “GHMC officials will visit the respective houses at various locations to collect applications. Compensation will then be deposited directly into bank accounts of the victims,” the commissioner stated.
This news disheartened thousands of flood victims still standing in long queues. They started fuming at the state government saying it had made false promises and was cheating common people. They also alleged that the government is paying compensation only to those close to the ruling party.
Saraswathi Bai was one of those standing in the queue at Mee Seva in Ramnagar when it was announced that the centre will be taking no more applications for flood compensation. “They will not give us any compensation. If they come to our location, it is the house owners who will get compensation while we are the real victims of floods. This government has cheated us,” she stated angrily.
Another compensation seeker Muralidhar Rao waiting in the queue at Khairatabad observed that the GHMC commissioner could have made his announcement before December 7. “Then, people would not have come so early in the morning and stood in queues, leaving their jobs for the day. Authorities could have come out with the announcement at least a day earlier,” he remarked.
Saba Fathima, a resident of Chandrayangutta, said, “The queues at Mee Seva centres in the area were very long. With so many people and fear of Covid-19, I did not dare to stand in any of the queues to submit my application for flood relief. Whichever the way this government extends help, I hope we will get the financial help soon,” Fathima added.