Relief yet to flow into flood-hit pockets of city

For lakhs of people whose homes have been washed away or rendered inhabitable, life has still not returned to normal, as they struggle in community halls or submerged homes, amidst poor sanitation. A city-based non-profit group, Chennai Trekking Club (CTC), which has been actively involved in relief distribution, has created a flood relief map, highlighting areas which are in dire need of aid.

Peter Van Geit, who started CTC, says they have identified 120 areas across the city, which still require relief aid. ‘‘Only 45% area of the city has been surveyed, while we are looking for volunteers to help us assess the real time relief aid carried out across the rest of Chennai. 40% of the mapped areas need relief. This map is available for all NGOs, so we can coordinate our resources and ensure that relief goes out to those in need,” he says, adding that relief efforts have so far been concentrated in certain pockets of the city.

Peter adds that most of these neglected areas are those lying around lakes. “It is ironic that people living in low lying areas around Adyar and Chembarambakkam have not received any aid. Many have lost their homes. A few days ago, I was in south of Chembarambakkam, where nobody has bothered to provide relief. In the middle of the night, people were sitting on the roads, because water had entered their homes as there was no electricity,” he says.

In parts of Manali, Iyappanthangal, Pallikarnai, Nerkundram and many other localities, people are still looking out for clothes, sleeping mats and blankets. Rajapandian, says people have enough food but hardly any other essential supplies. “Not many people are aware that these places too need help. The slum areas, especially, are hard hit as the huts have been washed away,” says this software tester.

Sujoy Jose, who has been volunteering in Tambaram, says relief aid is dispensed on the main road, whereas many interior areas are neglected. “People, especially the elderly and children, don’t have enough necessities. We are trying to help people get utensils and provisions so they can start living their lives normally,” he says.