With people in the cyclone-hit Visakhapatnam and its surroundings grappling with rising prices of essential commodities, loads of vegetables, milk, water sachet and other relief materials were airlifted from the Gannavaram airport to Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
Close to 100 tonnes of vegetables and water and milk sachets were despatched in C-17, C-130 and AN-32 cargo aircraft. While 60 tonnes of relief materials were sent in C-17 aircraft, C-130 and AN-32 aircraft carried 24 tonnes.
“In all, 23.5 tonnes of eatables, 27 tonnes of vegetables, 16 tonnes of water packets, 18 tonnes of milk sachets and biscuit packets were dispatched,” Gannavaram Tahasildar M. Madhuri said, adding that water sachets were also sent in trucks.
She refuted reports that transportation of relief materials was affected owing to shortage of ‘hamalis’ at the airport. “We have enough staff to load the material in flights,” she clarified.
A 75-member airport staff led by Airport Director M. Rajkishore assisted the Revenue Department have left for the cyclone-hit areas. “We are leaving no stone unturned to transport food items,” Mr. Rajkishore said.
He added that relief operations were taken up without any significant impact on regular commercial services. “We requested the airline companies to cooperate with us during this emergency situation,” he said.
Published - October 16, 2014 01:32 am IST
