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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Misery in Seemandhra piles up as agitation continues

Misery in Seemandhra piles up as agitation continues

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published Published on Oct 10, 2013   modified Modified on Oct 10, 2013
-The Times of India


HYDERABAD/ VIJAYAWADA: With another round of talks between the government and protesters failing to end the impasse over bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the misery of denizens is increasing every minute across strife-torn Seemandhra.

From a foundry worker in Vijayawada to an upper middle class banker in Visakhapatnam, the two-month strike, which has gathered more steam now has spared none, with heartrending stories of people suffering across the roiled region pouring in from various districts.

"In the last 18 days, my daughter has been to school just twice. I don't have power, water or enough food stocked for my family to sustain. I need petrol for my car, which is selling in bottles at near Rs 180- Rs 200 a litre," Mridul Roy, a banker from Vizag told TOI over phone.

Marathon power cuts for three days, with some relief during the day has piled up the misery for people in the port city of Visakhapatnam and adjoining areas, as vehement protests against forming a separate Telangana state forced New Delhi to call an emergency Group of Ministers meeting on Friday.

Almost everyday assurances of addressing the concerns of the people of Seemandhra by senior Congress leaders has failed to cut any ice, as the APNGO and electricity employees have vowed to continue their strike, even at the cost of living without any salary for the past two months.

"Towards the end of August, I took a loan on my credit card and bought rations for my family. I couldn't pay the following month and I don't think I can pay this month either," said Narasimha Reddy, one of the protesters from East Godavari. His colleague and friend Krishna Rao has defaulted in paying house loans and car loans.

"They are threatening to put my name in Cibil and said I could be blacklisted for non-payment," he added.

Without salaries, buying new clothes for Dasara and Eid is out of question for protesters, but for engineering graduate Md Rafi, the strike has spelt doom for his career and some happiness during Eid.

"After great difficulty I had got through a good job, but I could not attend the final interview due to cancellation of trains. I am crestfallen," said Rafi, who was finally hoping to support his family.

For others, business has been so bad that getting two decent square meals a day has become difficult.

"We have no work or food since the last four days due to power cuts," says Abdul Basheer, owner of a foundry at Autonagar in Vijayawada.

Kaleswaramma, mother of an APSRTC employee said that two months have passed since the family had two square meals, as her son Subramanyam has no work due to the strike.

With the strike continuing, essential services have been hit like never before, with dozens of people complaining of no money in ATMs, no transport, fuel and even mobiles not working.

While some hospitals and airports are running on back up power, patients stranded in hospitals without power have been hit the most.

"I am extremely worried as my husband is struggling to breathe and there is no power throughout day," said Santhamma, wife of a cardiac patient at the Government General hospital, Guntur.

Farmers too have not been spared by the power strike, as chilling centres are not functioning without electricity and others are failing to irrigate their lands during the day.

"Without power, it is difficult to irrigate our lands. We have nothing to do in the day, but stay up in the night to work when we get some power," said Vode Thimappa, a farmer from Alur in Kurnool.


The Times of India, 10 October, 2013, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Misery-in-Seemandhra-piles-up-as-agitation-continues/articleshow/23838062.cms


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