Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is at Ground Zero in Vijayawada, grappling with severe flood conditions.
Naidu is sleeping in a bus at Vijayawada Collector’s Office and is continuously monitoring the situation. He is doing multiple field visits in chest-level water. Naidu is plying on bulldozers in places where cars can not go.
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We can see him talking to the victims, talking about their complaints and suggestions, and immediately addressing issues.
On the other side, the entire YSR Congress machinery is in a deep slumber. They are posting messages on Social Media trying to demoralize the victims and the Government machinery. They are even criticizing Naidu is hampering the Relief works by going to the ground while it is enough to sit in the Control Room and give directions from there.
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They say officials are neglecting the relief operations and are accompanying Naidu thereby wasting time.
These are senseless comments by those who have no idea of how the administration works.
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There is a battalion of security guards and officials around the CM always. They work with the CM wherever he is. Only a few officials additionally accompany the Chief Minister to apprise him of the local conditions.
So, the officials we see around the Chief Minister are not the officials who work on the ground.
When a calamity strikes, if the Chief Minister is on the ground, the entire official machinery will be on their toes. Sitting in the Control Room and giving instructions is not the same as being on the ground.
We can cite a small example here. Students in a class are more attentive when the teacher walks around the classroom. If the teacher sits in his table and give instructions, except the students in the first rooms, nobody pays attention.
When a calamity strikes, the ground staff has to remove water, evacuate people, supply food and water, restore electricity supply, etc. The turnaround time miraculously decreases when the Chief Minister is on the ground pushing the officials who in turn will pressurize the ground staff.
Also, the victims are in a panic mode in this situation. Some of them have gone without food for 1-2 days, and some of them are restless and unable to feed the children and the old people. They are bound to be restless.
When they see someone as big as the Chief Minister, there is a sense of belief that the Government is working and they will be attended to.
Also when the Chief Minister is himself on the ground, that instills confidence in others to come forward and liberally donate. As a result, we have seen many people coming forward to donate to the CMRF.
Usually, there is a belief in the people that donating to the Government is a waste. But when you have a proactive government, you donate. That is exactly happening in Andhra Pradesh.
We have seen film celebrities, industrialists, educational institutions, and even common people donate without asking. Private Hotels are arranging food packets voluntarily. That is the impact of a working Chief Minister.
The TDP Ministers and MLAs in other districts are also influenced and are working on sending food packets, water bottles, etc to Vijayawada. They are attentive since the Chief Minister is watching closely.
Some are influenced by the Chief Minister and some are working to impress the Chief Minister. Either way, the victims benefit.
Having said that, there will be certainly some hiccups when attending to the calamity of this size. It is not always possible to attend to the victims at the last mile. Such people may get restless for the time being and it is understandable. But they will realize the efforts once the normalcy is restored.
Only fools believe a Chief Minister on the Ground makes no difference. If you still do not understand, you ask the people of Vishakapatnam about the Hudhud Cyclone days.
