Post-floods, Yamuna Bazaar residents left to fend for themselves

For residents of Yamuna Bazaar, survival has meant moving from one crisis to another. Just weeks ago, they were navigating floodwaters; and today, they remain knee-deep in thick, unrelenting silt. With no electricity and no official cleanup drive, people living in this riverside locality are left grappling with the aftermath on their own.

When The Tribune visited the area, the lanes leading to Yamuna Bazaar resembled stretches of dried riverbed — caked with mud that had seeped into homes and temples. In several places, residents had placed wooden planks and takhats (wooden beds) across the sludge to reach their doors. The task of recovery has been left to residents themselves.

“We have been working for three days just to make our homes accessible again. There was knee-high mud after the water receded. We’ve cleared it ourselves. The government hasn’t stepped in to help,” said Sanjay Kumar, who has lived in the area for 35 years.

Even the cleanup efforts are uneven. “Our lane has cleared most of the silt, but those living in the next lane haven’t touched it. If they start cleaning, the muck will flow into our homes because we are at a lower level. That’s why we’ve avoided the entrance and instead put planks across it,” explained Rajkumar Mishra, pointing to the fragile wooden walkway outside his house.

The bigger crisis, however, is the absence of electricity. Power has not been restored since the Yamuna’s water level rose, plunging households into darkness. With snakes and insects emerging after dusk, families say it is unsafe to return home at night. “Snakes are common near the river. Without light, it is too dangerous to locate reptiles. That’s why we sleep at relief camps and return during the day to clean,” said Shiva Devi, filling water from a nearby hand pump.

For many, disruption has seeped into daily routines and livelihoods. Shweta, who has lived in the area for 17 years, worries about her daughter’s Class 10 exams. “We cannot skip school. My daughter travels every day from the camp. The fare is adding to our financial strain. During the day, we use hand fans to put the younger one to sleep when we are home to clean. It feels like we’ve gone backwards by decades,” she said.

Temples also lie buried in silt. On Ghat No. 24, Ganesh, a local boat operator, pointed to his mud-caked feet. “This happens every year. Water rises, then recedes and leaves this behind. Sometimes it only reaches the ankles. This time, it was much worse. People promise help, but never deliver. Look around — there is no electricity, mosquitoes everywhere, and risk of infection. This is a place of worship, but people turn back when they see the filth,” he said.

While some residents sweep tirelessly, others sit on the steps, watching their surroundings with helpless expressions. “Cooking is impossible. Mud is still inside the houses. We’ve been eating food from outside for days,” said Anchal, sitting on a table.

For Yamuna Bazaar, the floods may have passed, but the crisis continues — buried under mounds of silt, compounded by darkness and worsened by silence from the very agencies tasked with their care.