DEPTHS OF DESPAIR

Rain is a great leveller — it shows where we stand. This time, a receding Yamuna exposes tall claims of the city government. To begin with, there is no planning to manage city drainage. On top of it, there is politics, writes Anup Verma

- Anup Verma

W E have lost everything and are not sure if we will ever be able to return to a normal life. We saw no preparations by the authorities for a flood situation in the city and are living without our essential items” rues Gujri Devi, a septuagenarian living in the Yamuna floodplains.

People living in low-lying areas and with in the Yamuna floodplains have had a harrowing time ever since the water level of Yamuna breached the danger mark and the water entered their homes. They were forced to move to shelters overnight without adequate food and drinking water. The sordid state of affairs is that despite the tall claims of flood management for years, a completely collapsed system has been witnessed on the ground as Raj Ghat, ITO, Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Okhla, Nizamuddin, Yamuna Bank, Pragati Maidan, Wazibad, Monastery Market, Khajoori, and Sonia Vihar among others have been completely flooded ever since. At a juncture when the national capital is all set to host the main event of the prestigious G-20 Summit this year, a sudden increase in water level in the Yamuna River has allegedly exposed system failure as majority of city areas have submerged in water. With thousands rendered homeless, many complain of government apathy and allege that they have failed to chalk out a plan for flood control.

Similar to Gujri, there are thousands of people living in an unprecedented situation. Before floods, Kishanwati Devi’s house near Raj Ghat area was demolished for beautification ahead of the G-20 meeting in the city. “My house was razed, and I, along with my family, was asked to leave the area. We were somehow trying to adjust in a makeshift jhuggi to make both ends meet, but the recent flood washed away everything. No meaning of life is left for people like us and for any move in the future, we will have to start from scratch,” rues Kishanwati.