Neelam Devi, 22, a resident of Bawana Jhuggi Jhopri colony which was flooded due to a breach in Haryana-Delhi canal, recounts her travails.
A breach in the canal that supplies water from Haryana to Delhi turned our lives upside down. I remember the night it happened. We had heard rumors of a breach, but no one took it seriously. It wasn’t the first time we’d heard such things. However, this time, the whispers turned into reality. The water came rushing in like a beast unleashed, and in no time, our streets were submerged, creating knee-deep pool in our JJ cluster. The floodwater showed no mercy, rising relentlessly, swallowing everything in their path. Our homes, our belongings, and our hopes were all consumed.
At first, we tried to save what we could. My husband and I scrambled to gather our valuables, but the water rose too quickly. We had to abandon everything and run for our lives. In the chaos, we lost more than just our possessions; we lost our sense of security and the little savings we had painstakingly gathered over the years. Those savings were meant for our children’s education, for emergencies, for a better future. Now, they are gone, washed away by the merciless floodwaters.
The aftermath has been nothing short of a nightmare. With our home destroyed, we have nowhere to go. The temporary shelters are overcrowded and inadequate. There’s barely enough space to lie down, let alone sleep. The stench of stagnant water fills the air, making it hard to breathe. Mosquitoes breed in the puddles, bringing the threat of disease. My children, already weak from hunger, are now at risk of falling sick.
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Food is scarce. The little we had was either destroyed or spoiled by the flood. The government promised help, but it’s been days, and we’ve seen nothing. No food rations, no clean water, no medical aid. My children cry out in hunger, their eyes pleading for something to eat, but I have nothing to give them. As a mother, there is no greater pain than watching your children suffer and feeling helpless to ease their pain.
The government’s response has been disheartening. There were no warnings, no preparations, no plans in place to deal with such a catastrophe. We were left to fend for ourselves. The authorities visited once, took some pictures, made promises, and left. Since then, we have seen no sign of assistance. We are stranded, forgotten, and desperate.
Each day is a struggle for survival. We scavenge for food, beg for help, and cling to the hope that someone, somewhere, will hear our cries. But with each passing day, that hope fades a little more. The world moves on, but for us, time stands still, trapped in this watery hell.
The children’s schoolbooks, and our family photos, were all gone. Our dreams for a better future seem distant now, buried under the floodwaters. But despite the hardships, we find strength in each other. In this dire situation, we have come together as a community, helping one another as best as possible. We share what little we have, offer comfort, and hold on to the belief that we will get through this, somehow.
We need help, and we need it urgently. The government must step up and fulfill its promises. We need food, clean water, medical aid, and a plan to rebuild our lives. This flood has taken everything from us, but it has not broken our spirit. We can rise above this disaster and our lives with the right support.
As told to Deepti Sharma