Ahead of Dasara and Deepavali, traditional potters work busily on the wheel at Kummari Veedhi to bring out a variety of clay items. This is the season for them to earn.
But last October, their dreams had been shattered when the city was ravaged by the very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud.
A year later, the place unfolds a different scene.
The residents are back on their feet, working on the potter’s wheel and hoping for better returns.
“We have gone through a very rough phase last year. With the cyclone leaving a trail of destruction, life literally came to a standstill. We could not resume work for almost a month,” recalls B. Katamma, wiping her hands off after moulding a terracotta ware.
Residents say that the cyclone blew away their fragile earthenware, including pots, lamps, and a range of terracotta accessories, leaving them in losses.
“Not only was the season a washout last October but also each family incurred a loss of at least Rs.10,000,” says Parvathi, another resident.
Though Ramanamma, a sole breadwinner of the family, lost her husband recently, solace came in the form of a new permanent shelter. Though her house was completely destroyed by strong winds, she was rescued by members of the Inner Wheel Club through their annual project.
“From groceries to utensils and clothes, we lost everything. Within a few weeks, our tent-turned-house was replaced with a permanent shelter as members of the club chipped in. The first thing that I did after stepping into our house was to plant a berry sapling in the front yard,” she says, pointing at the fruit-bearing tree.
Recalling the nightmare, Uma Maheshwari, a resident who saw her belongings fly off her house, says, “We could not cook anything for the next one week. However, with supportive neighbours and relatives, we were able to limp back to normal in a few days.”
Some of the residents said that relief also came in the form of rice and groceries offered by the government for cyclone victims.
However, what remains unchanged is the open drains and the constant stink that emanates from Yerri Gedda (storm water drain) located close to one of the lanes here.
Zone III Commissioner: Y. Srinivasa Rao; Helpdesk No: 0891-2707299 .
