PUNE: The year 2019 was the year of floods for Maharashtra. With excessive rainfall hitting several parts of the State, rural and urban areas suffered a great loss in terms of infrastructure and livelihood.
While common people from all over the State stood firmly behind those affected by the floods, the victims complain about government apathy.
FLOODS IN WESTERN MAHARASHTRA
Lakhs of people from several villages of Sangli and Kolhapur districts had to be evacuated as water levels rose higher than ever with the flooding of three major rivers - Krishna, Panchaganga and Varna. Homes, businesses and farms remained submerged for 10 days.
“Floods are not new to us. In Prayag Chikhali, several tributaries join River Panchganga as it enters Kolhapur. Water swells up every year. But this year was different. The water levels rose at least seven feet higher than usual,” said SR Patil, former sarpanch of Chikhli, a village near Kolhapur.
FARMING RESTORED
After the flood water receded, entering the farmlands was not possible because of swamp. Crops of sugarcane, soyabean, bell peppers that were almost ready to be harvested in a couple of months when the floods hit, were damaged the most.
“The government offered us a total of Rs 10,000 each as aid, but we required at least Rs 50,000 each to clear our lands. We could enter the fields only after a couple of months. But we did not get any help from the authorities to recover the land and crop. We did it all on our own. After all, it’s the only way for us to get back on our feet,” said a farmer from Tawdarwadi (Dhangao), Ramesh Patil.
He added, “Excessive rainfall hit several parts of the State after the floods destroyed the crops. As all attention was diverted there, I feel everybody forgot about us after the first month.”
NO ROOF OVER THE HEAD
While most citizens in flood-affected areas of Sangli and Kolhapur managed to restore their farmlands, there are still no homes to live in.
“The houses damaged or destroyed in the floods have been left in the same state. Nobody has made any effort to repair and rebuild them. In most places, they have not even surveyed all the affected houses in the villages,” said Dr Sudarshan Ghirde of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), who worked in villages of Sangli for flood relief.
Patil added, “Many people are still staying at the temporary housing arrangements made for them. Several are not able to get rent allowance that was promised. Every time I go to the authorities to enquire for the same, I am told to fill yet another form, or submit another application letter.”
FLASH FLOODS IN PUNE
Extended and excessive rainfall in Pune, coupled with problems of garbage and encroachment upon city’s water bodies, led to flooding as Ambil Odha in Sahakar Nagar, Sinhagad Road, Katraj lake and Bhairoba Nala in Wanawadi flooded on September 25 this year. The floods claimed around 21 lives in the city, several lives were disrupted and left homeless.
“All we want is the government to provide us with homes in the area where we lost them to flooding of Ambil Odha. Why should we go elsewhere when our livelihoods are here? We have been demanding this for the past three months, but nothing has changed,” said resident of Tangewale Colony in Aranyeshwar near Ambil Odha, Shakuntala Mote.
She added, “The new Mayor visited us recently, and told us the city administration is working on a way to fulfill our demands. But as of now, most of us are living in those houses rendered unsafe by the floods, or living at others’ houses.”
