Fire victims of Tandi village seek rehabilitation

After losing everything in fire on the very first day of the New Year, 146 persons of the 33 affected families at Tandi village in Jibhi valley of the Banjar subdivision in Kullu district are spending cold nights in tents, houses and cottages of their relatives.

Some people are living in cowsheds. Elders are in a shock after witnessing their ancestral houses getting burnt and lifetime earnings turn into ashes. The inferno gutted almost half of the village, destroying 17 houses and six cowsheds.

Some of the affected persons — Dalip Singh, Chetan Singh, Duni Chand, Dolu Devi and Yagya Chand — said more than half of the persons of the village had been rendered homeless. Two families were living in tents in the fields, they added. Some villagers were forced to keep their livestock under the open sky. Tandi panchayat president Paras Ram said the government and the district administration should soon make arrangements for the rehabilitation of the affected families in this harsh weather.

A local resident Dev Raj Negi said although the district administration had helped in this hour of crisis, it was not enough.

The atmosphere in Tandi village is gloomy after the tragedy and the victims are not able to hold back their tears. Traditional tools and equipment used in farming and other works had also turned into ashes.

Meanwhile, aid is pouring from all corners of society for the fire victims. Property worth over Rs 10 crore, including ornaments and jewellery in the "kothi" (store) of deity Gadpati Sheshnag, had turned into ashes in the massive inferno. Some philanthropists have donated a generous amount of even Rs 50,000 individually. Many local associations are gathering funds for the affected families. Various relief materials, jackets and ration were also being provided by people for the victims.