Flood-hit families take stock of damage, worry about returning

Anand Shah (29), a second-generation farmer from Yamuna Khadar, said the water would take at least two to three months to fully recede. “ We’re not going to move back to the banks for some time after the water recedes. We think the river will swell again in August,” Shah said.

In some high-lying areas near the Mayur Vihar relief camp people have returned to their houses to assess the damages. Beds, mattresses, grains, and furniture lay sprawled on the street soaking up the afternoon sun as people laid their possessions in the middle of the road to dry. “I still can’t return home,” said Sunita (32) as she raked mud out of her house. “The entire house is caked with silt and mud. It’ll take a few days for it to dry out if it does not rain,” she said.

Some residents also fear that they might not be allowed to go back. “I was born and brought up here, I went to school nearby. How can they ask us to leave and go back to our villages? We’ve set up our entire lives here,” said Govind (22), an AC repairman.

Anand Shah (29) agreed, “I heard announcements last week that we’re not allowed to go back to our houses.”

Some, however, said this panic takes over residents every year. Bablu (28), an IT company employee said, “This happens every year – the floods come and the people panic that they won’t be allowed to go back, but people still return to their houses.”

The executive magistrate of East District, Vinod Kumar, said, “It depends on the DDA to take measures. They’ve cleared up the whole DND area of encroachers. Even the Gandhi Nagar area was cleared up.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi issued a notice to the divisional commissioner to be on the guard against water and vector-borne diseases in all flood-affected areas.

In the Mayur Vihar relief camp and areas adjoining it, the district magistrate’s (East) office is ensuring regular fumigation and disinfection to prevent the breakout of diseases.