Monsoon rescue in Maharashtra
As flood waters recede and families begin picking up the pieces in Maharashtra, a heart-warming rescue story is emerging.
Twelve year-old Akshay who was born with severe physical and mental disabilities was sleeping at his neighbour’s house on the night of July 1.
His parents, both dalit labourers, were worried that with the heavy rains their small mud home may be in danger and Akshay would be safer in the more sturdy pukka (brick) home of their neighbours.
Tragically, when flood waters rose suddenly in the middle of the night, the walls collapsed and Akshay was buried alive.
Frantic search
Amid the chaos, it was about an hour before Akshay was located.
“We were searching in the debris. Finally we reached Akshay, thankfully he was still breathing and only had minor injuries,” said a neighbour involved in the rescue.
His mother Sunandar was overjoyed. “We are just so happy that he is alive,” she said brushing the flies away as they sit together in their home in Talvel village in Maharashtra’s weather-beaten Amravati district.
Villagers and volunteers
Youth groups and other volunteers are staying alongside flood affected families in Talvel as they try to retrieve belongings and put their lives back in order.
When the floods hit, Apkesha, a local partner of ActionAid working with the community to tackle poverty and improve children’s education, were able to quickly mobilise staff and volunteers to respond.
The Mahenge family is part of the relief effort. Like many in the area they had borrowed money and used savings to sow seeds while waiting for the monsoon:
“We were waiting to do the pooja (worship) and suddenly the rain increased. Water from the nearby Nallah river started coming in.”
“As the water rose to our necks, we took the children on our shoulders. Looking at all our belongings getting destroyed along with our houses, all of us started crying.”
“Our tears got mixed with the water that destroyed all that we had. In a moment we were homeless, assetless and destitute.”
“When Apeksha volunteers came in we were able to rescue a few vessels from the debris for cooking. Now we are all doing shram daan (voluntary work) to improve the situation. We hope nobody faces such a situation, any time, anywhere.”
Volunteers are also helping to clear the fields that were strewn with tar and rubble when rivers overflowed and destroyed nearby roads. Farmers say it may take years before they can cultivate the land again.
Women workers are on hand to respond to particular needs of women such as supplying sanitary napkins.
Say it with theatre
“Everyone is enthused in their work. You can hardly make out who is a villager or volunteer,” said Pravin one of the 31 young people who volunteered for the flood response with Apkesha.
“Initially, people thought we were labourers and people started ordering us to clear here and there. They were also very depressed, needing psychological support,” said Pravin.
“We decided to perform street play showing how you can respond in such a situation, and here you see the difference!” he added.
More help required
More help is needed says Kamini Kapadi ActionAid regional manager.
“Apkesha and ActionAid have been helping to make sure government relief (rice, Rs1000 per person and materials or money for temporary shelter) reaches the people who need it most. But more support is needed for these families to get back on their feet.”
“Many haven’t earned money since the rain started and others are still living in schools and community halls,” she added.
Antakala Gajbhiye, a dalit woman with living with her three daughters and elderly mother-in-law in Tavel is worried about the days ahead.
“We earn money working in the fields but we have had no work since the downpour. We have lost grains, clothes, study books, everything,” she said.
Women ActionAid spoke to explained how they were using the government relief money scrupulously but what they had received is almost over.
Panchphula Wankhede, who is staying in the school in Belaj village, Amravati district said:
“We have no land, and we work as labourers. For a long time, I was holding on to a tree, and got so tired. There was nothing to eat, until I got rescued the next day. It is good that my daughter-in-law has gone to her parents’ place with the children. But when will I call them back? What will we do?”
Villagers are calling for government to:
- Give compensation money to women so they can make sure the whole family feels the benefit
- Implement agriculture support schemes immediately
- Use the rural employment guarantee scheme to provide income for flood affected families unable to return to work
- Give those displaced from low-lying areas the option to return to their land – relocation not to be mandatory
Unprecedented rains
Amravati district received unprecedented rainfall between June 30 and July 2, destroying houses, roads, bridges and agricultural land as well as human lives. According to government figures, over 2310 homes are damaged or destroyed.
The monsoon is expected to continue to mid-August.
