Living in relief camps, flood-hit families in Mandi await rehab

Dipender Manta

Mandi, August 30

The flood-affected families of the Sadar subdivision in Mandi district are living in relief camps arranged by the district administration for their temporary stay. The monsoon fury had destroyed 245 houses completely in the subdivision, while 267 houses were damaged partially. As a result, over 500 families were hit hard by heavy rains, flashfloods and cloudburst incidents. Now, these affected families are awaiting their rehabilitation.

During a visit at Sambal village adjoining the Chandigarh-Manali highway near 7 Miles, Nitesh Kumar of Jagar Panchayat narrated his terrifying moments when sudden cloudburst dealt a severe blow to his family and the area. On August 14, the cloudburst swept away his house within minutes and he lost his three members of his family. The entire area was left strewn with big boulders. He was forced to search for the missing family members under the debris. A team of the State Disaster Response Force was also deployed in the area to search the victims.

Nitesh said: “The contractor engaged in the four-laning of the Chandigarh-Manali highway was working at a slow place to remove the boulders from the area. The bodies might be trapped under these boulders. There is a need to speed up the work to remove the boulders from the area.”

“Having lost three family members and all my belongings, I am heart-broken. I have no land to construct a new house and am currently living in a relief camp. I urge the state government to rehabilitate us at a safe place as soon as possible,” he said.

At Sambal village, six persons were swept away on that fateful day. Among the victims were three members of one family and three labourers.

At Maseran village under Mujhvad panchayat, one house was damaged completely on August 14, while a few others suffered partial damage. In that incident, two women were swept away in the flashflood, who are still untraceable.

Jodh Singh, a native of Maseran village, said the affected family is living in Mandi town in a rented room. The cloudburst had occurred in the wee hours on August 14 when two members of a family were sleeping in that house.

A major damage had occurred to houses at Pandoh, Sanyard, Tarna hills, Mangvain and few other places. Now these families are living in relief camps, while some families have taken refuge at the houses of their relatives.

The affected residents said in a unanimous voice that they want an early rehabilitation.

Sadar SDM Om Kant Thakur said relief amount had been disbursed, while 500 food kits and 1,000 tarpaulins given to the affected families. The administration was taking care of these families.