Gushing waters: Flood of memories torments people

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, July 16

“Navi zindagi mili hai,” says Pritam Singh from Mundi Cholian of the Lohian block as he breaks into tears after being rescued by the NDRF team. Enter flood-hit Lohian block and there are stories of distress and everyone wants to share their plight in the hope that their voices will be heard.

Pritam was alone in his kutcha home and had sent his children away before. The moment he came out of the water, he hugged one of the volunteers and started crying.

Was like living in hell

There was nothing, not even water. I don’t even know where my children are. It was like living in hell. I do not know how I am going to feed my family now.Rs Pritam, a daily wager. —Bad memory etched

In my mind

My two and a half years old grandson fell into the floodwaters, but was saved by my son. I still shiver when I think about that moment, and this bad memory has been etched in my mind. Now that we are out, I am a little relieved. —Piari, A resident of Sardarwala village

“There was nothing, not even water. I don’t even know where my children are. It was like living in hell. I do not know how I am going to feed my family now,” said Pritam, a daily wager.

Another family from Sardarwala village was also rescued by the team. Piari (67) said her two and a half years old grandson had fallen into the floodwaters, but was saved by her son.

“I still shiver when I think about that moment, and this bad memory has been etched in my mind. Now that we are out, I am a little relieved,” she said.

“My daughter-in-law is four months pregnant and had we remained there for longer, it would have made her and the unborn baby suffers. We really hope that everyone is out of this tough time soon,” she said.

Villagers said they were unable to sleep at night or even during the day because of mosquitoes and flies. “There is a shortage of trampoline and we also require Odomos,” a villager from Madala Channa said, adding that his 10-month-old child was not sleeping because of frequent mosquito bites and it was troubling him inside.

“I cannot see him getting restless because of mosquitoes. Why do we have to suffer like this? It is getting difficult to arrange for milk also. What we are going through, only we can understand and nobody else,” he rued.