Flood-hit Sattari people struggling to piece their lives together

Around 23 people from Shivajinagar-Khadki are homeless

ABDULLA KHAN | NT

Valpoi: Hundreds of people across the Sattari taluka, who have returned to their flood-hit homes, face the daunting task of repairing their houses, and removing the sludge and waste, especially, plastic and other waste that flowed in.

Around 23 people from Shivajinagar-Khadki, who are homeless, are still in relief camp set up at the Government Primary School, Khadki, where cooked food packets are being supplied to them.

Life in Sattari and Ganjem, which witnessed  torrential rains and floods last week, is limping back to normalcy as the rain has subsided;  floods that hit Sattari, Ganjem and Usgao areas disrupted the lives of people there, bringing to them untold miseries, loss of animals and property, while also ruining crop and other sources of livelihood.

Parts of Valpoi town, Bhirondem, Khotodem, Guleli, Nagargao, Honda and Keri have been affected by the floods. Kankirem, Bhatwadi, Bhirondem, Shivajinagar, and Massordem were totally submerged, forcing the affected families to move to safety.

In the Valpoi town, two houses in ward 3 had collapsed while houses in Massordem and near Gausiya Masjid in ward 9 were severely affected. In Shivajinagar, 5 houses located adjacent to  Mhadei river had collapsed. The scenario in Kankirem was similar where 4 houses collapsed and 7 houses at Bhatwadi were left damaged by the floods. In Advoi, few houses were completely washed away.

According to the official records, 190 houses have been affected due to the flash floods that hit Sattari on July 23. 

Sattari mamlatdar Dasharath Gawas visited several parts of the taluka to get first-hand information about the damages caused by floods and interact with the affected people.

Gawas said, “I along with my team visited flood-affected villages. The assessment team has expedited the survey to assess the losses so as to compensate the victims. The estimated loss is around Rs 90 lakh in Sattari.”

Informing that the essentials were provided to all the affected families, Gawas said, “We have directed the health department to hold a medical camp considering the fear of vector-borne disease that may occur in the flood-affected areas.”

Along with the government agencies, several political and voluntary organisations and individuals have extended their help to the flood victims.

Meanwhile, the people from all over the country and abroad have pitched in to help the affected families in Kudshe, Kankirem, Shivajinagar, Ganjem.

A visit by this reporter to Shivajinagar on Thursday revealed that residents were picking up threads of their life.

Few people told this reporter that many people affiliated to political parties visited and asked about their requirements but even as a week has passed by, there is no announcement of compensation by the government.

However, they thanked the people and political leaders for showing concern and standing with them in the difficult time.       

“Health Minister has assured that 5 houses will be constructed soon. So far, we are collecting things which have been washed away in floodwater. Food packets and essentials we are getting, but our main problem is that our houses have collapsed and there is no place to store things,” said M Harijan.

Another elderly resident said that the people visit and distribute essentials and other relief items to those people who are not much affected by the floods, while the most affected are deprived of the help as the families are stationed in the relief camp at Government Primary School, Khadki.

Meanwhile, another woman at Shivajinagar said that her family stays with her relatives, but would not be able to continue for more days considering their financial condition.

“Our house collapsed, and we are figuring out options. There is no sign of the contractor who has been allotted the work to construct our houses till date. Even if we get help in terms of utensils and clothing we have no space to keep it. The school books have been washed away and we are worried about the education of our children,” said an aged woman from Shivajinagar, narrating her plight.

In a video, which has gone viral, a student from Class X, residing at Ganjem is seen urging the school authorities to understand her dilemma post-floods.

Like her many other students have expressed their grief and concern about education as the flood has washed away their books and other documents related to education.

Meanwhile, Sarvashiksha Abhiyan officials have asked the schools to enlist the school children who are affected by the floods so that books can be provided to them.

The post Flood-hit Sattari people struggling to piece their lives together appeared first on The Navhind Times.