Despite requests from the Municipal Corporation against citizens’ presence at MeeSevas across the city to avail the financial assistance under the flood relief program, many residents of adjoining areas queued in front of the centres to furnish their applications for receiving the aid.
The government had announced a relief of Rs.10,000 to those hit by the recent floods caused by the heavy rains.
The Monday morning’s scene went on for the entire day even though the staff kept pleading them to return homes because applications weren’t getting accepted, as directed by the GHMC.
The brutal cold of mornings did not stop the affected families from approaching the MeeSeva centres even before they pulled up their shutters for the day. Several people, especially women, made a beeline waiting to register their names for getting the money they require after the dreaded losses due to the floods.
When the people were informed that the applications aren’t getting accepted, they hurriedly went to other centres. However, none of the MeeSevas were accepting it as the registration service was disabled by the government prior to the GHMC elections.
Dozens of people were seen in the centres of Alwal, Jagadgirigutta, East Marredpally, LB Nagar, Hakeempet, Saroornagar and others.
Dejected by the staff’s refusal to register their names, some women were seen ranting to the officials at MeeSeva centres, complaining about the situation.
Speaking in regards to her visit to the MeeSeva since Saturday to no avail, one applicant said “We came to the MeeSeva centre for registering our name to get the interim financial aid. But the staff did not accept my application saying that the services were stopped.”
Angered with his neighbours having received cash relief while he did not, a resident of Secunderabad named Rajesh said, “We are requesting officials to render justice to everyone who were affected by the recent floods in the city.”
Alwal witnessed a whole new story as applicants grouped to hold a sit-in on the main road of Golnaka, pestering the officials to file their registrations for the financial aid. The incident took place after the Alwal MeeSeva staff members refused to take their applications as the service had stopped, after which the angry mob sat on the main road to protest.
Evidently, the grouped protest led to traffic congestions following which the police stepped in and calmed the applicants to let them give way to moving vehicles.
A police officer said, “To ensure free movement of traffic, we sought the cooperation of the protestors who agreed and moved off the road.”
After witnessing these events, police pickets were allotted at many MeeSeva centres to avoid any future episodes as such.
The financial assistance program was halted prior to the recently held Municipal elections of Hyderabad after receiving orders from the State Election Commission (SEC), because of which the applications weren’t being entertained by the staff, said R. Rajitha, MeeSeva Hyderabad Executive R Rajitha.
As the municipal corporation was planning to deposit the money directly into the accounts of people after verifying the beneficiaries, MeeSeva officials had also received new directions from the GHMC office against accepting the registration applications.
Previously, hundreds of people used to line up in front of MeeSeva centres with many joining the line even before sunrise. These centres, at some places, used to get close to 4,000 applications per day.
