“We have been suffering since the flood swept away our house,” says Tajpuriya while collecting twigs to build a shed on the bank. More than a dozen families like the Tajpuriyas have been left to suffer for the last three days as the district administration and other agencies are focusing on bigger camps for displaced people. [break]
These families are living in misery, unable to part with their cattle and other possessions. “These are the only things that we have now and we are staying here to keep vigil,” says Bodhnath Bimali, who lost one and half bigaha of sissoo, coconut and betel to the raging Kankai river.
News of the theft of belongings of displaced people in Kumarkhod and Tanganduba has added to the woes of these flood victims who cannot now leave their belongings unattended. The number of displaced is increasing. The Kankai displaced another dozen families in Panchgachhi and Mahabhara on Sunday night and more are under threat at Panchgachhi-8 and Mahabhara-9.
The displaced feel neglected by the local administration. “We have been hearing that relief materials are being distributed in camps elsewhere in the district but no one except the police has come here,” rues Prasad Singh Rajbanshi, a teacher at local Bal Kalyan Primary School.
He says local schools and other public premises have already been taken over by people displaced earlier and the newly displaced don´t have anywhere to shelter even if they somehow let go of their possessions.
“More people will be displaced and there is bound to be lack of space for shelter,” feels Armed Police Force Inspector Padam Bohora who has been mobilizing his team for rescue and flood control in the area.
The clothes worn by most of the displaced have become wet due to the incessant rain and they have also run out of food after sharing it with others. “We had around half a quintal of rice but the stocks are finished,” Kashi Tajpuriya says.
He says neighbors can lend some food for a few more days but there is an urgent need of shelter. “We could do with some arrangement by the district administration for shelter. The children and the elderly are in misery,” Tajpuriya pleads.
The displaced were upbeat after the police said Home Minister Bhim Rawal would visit the area but became downcast when Rawal canceled the visit, citing bad weather.
Dangibari, Kumarkhod, Rajgadh, Panchgachhi and Mahabhara are the worst affected village development committees (VDC) in the district but Mahabhara and Panchgachhi are also under great threat from the Kankai river that flows past these VDCs.
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