The Government Adi Dravidar Higher Secondary School wore a deserted look on Friday morning as relatives of workers trapped under the rubble at the Moulivakkam site moved out to identify bodies at Government Royapettah Hospital.
As more and more bodies were recovered from under the debris, families’ hopes of seeing their loved one alive died and many of them, who had been staying in the city, moved on, resigning themselves to their loss.
Polli Naidu, from Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, who was rescued on Saturday, is still in the ICU at SRMC. His brother, Ravikumar, said, “Doctors said he may require a surgery tomorrow. The future seems bleak for many of us. I don't think most of the workers who were working in the next block wanted to return home; it is just that they fear they don’t have a future here. We also plan to settle in our native place after my brother gets treated,” he said in a choked voice.
AP government extends helpThe Andhra Pradesh government has provided Rs. 2,000 towards transport and food expenses for relatives taking the bodies of victims back to their native towns in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram. Joint collector of Nellore district Rekha Rani said the relatives of injured workers staying in the school have been provided accommodation in hotels near SRMC. Buses have been provided by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation to take them to their native places on Tuesday.
“Another bus was arranged to transport the relatives to Srikakulam from Government Royapettah Hospital, on Friday evening,” said M.V. Ramana, revenue divisional officer, Nayudupet. He said that 49 from Andhra Pradesh were dead and 11 people were rescued alive and are recovering from their injuries at the hospital.
