Rain relief work yet to gain pace after Gujarat BJP chief's appeal

Gandhinagar, July 12 After a heavy downpour in many parts of the state, several villages and towns have been submerged in flood water with people being badly affected. But BJP workers and leaders, who had been asked by Gujarat BJP Chief C. R. Patil to take up relief work, are yet to rise to the occasion.

Patil had on Monday appealed to party leaders, MLAs, MPs and workers to join relief work and start helping the people.

Twenty four hours after the appeal, the BJP's entire cadre is yet to take up relief work. However, a few district leaders were prompt to react and have started relief work.

Valsad district is one of the first to start relief work. BJP district committee president Hemantbhai Kansara speaking to said that, "Valsad Taluka including Valsad town has suffered a lot due to heavy rain in north part of the district, since Monday evening. Party workers, RSS, NGOs have started mass kitchen where food packets are prepared and later distributed in water submerged areas."

"300 food packets were distributed in Hanuman Bhagda on the outskirt of area that was cut off since Sunday, some 300 families were trapped in water. On Tuesday morning 3,000 biscuit packets, 1000 pouches of milk were distributed in various parts of Valsad town and villages surrounding the town," said Kansara.

Party workers, NGOs are preparing 1,000 grocery kits which will have edible oil pouches, flour, pulses, salt and chilli powder, these packets will meet the needs of at least a family of four members for two times, he said.

Since Monday night, there has been very heavy rains in Dediapada, Nandod Taluka of Narmada district, two villages- Vandriand, Kanaji are cut off from the rest of the world, said Ramesh Vasava, BJP general secretary from Narmada district. He added once the rain stops and water recedes, he along with party workers would start relief work.

Bodali Taluka of the Chhotaudepur has received 25 inches rain in 24 hours, but BJP district president Rashmikant Vasava and his team is yet to take up relief work.

Urmilaben, a resident of Bodali town, said household things have been damaged. She complained that even after water has receded, the revenue department team has neither visited the area nor started damage survey.

In a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi said power has been disrupted in 124 villages due to heavy rains in the state. He hoped that power supply will be restored in 104 villages by evening while in rest of villages it will be restored in two days.