Delhi floods: Authorities launch survey to provide compensation

The Delhi cabinet on July 19 had approved ex gratia relief of ₹10,000 to the families affected by the flood

The Yamuna dropped below its danger mark of 205.33m on Thursday, and authorities in Delhi began surveying the six districts of the Capital that were inundated by floodwaters in order to identify those who were affected by the floods so that they can be given compensation.

The Yamuna breached its danger mark on July 10 at 5pm, reaching a peak of 208.66m on July 13 at 6pm. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The Yamuna breached its danger mark on July 10 at 5pm, reaching a peak of 208.66m on July 13 at 6pm, and remained above the danger mark for more than a week, leading to the inundation of parts of six districts of Delhi along the Yamuna — North, North East, Central, Shahdara, East, and South East, and the evacuation of more than 27,000 people to 45 relief camps.

The water level dropped briefly below the danger mark on Tuesday, but rain in the Yamuna’s catchment areas in northern states upstream led to the river inch past the danger mark once again on Wednesday. However, the river again dropped below the 205.33 mark on Thursday morning.

The Delhi cabinet on July 19 had approved ex gratia relief of ₹10,000 to the families affected by the flood. With the Yamuna’s water level on a decline, authorities on Thursday began a survey of the areas affected by floodwaters.

“During the survey, district authorities are coming across several people who do not have bank accounts to receive compensation, and many of them have also lost their identity cards, making it difficult for the authorities to establish the genuineness of their claims,” said a revenue department official, declining to be named. “The survey is going on across all 45 flood relief camps. Data will be available only after the information from the fields is compiled, and their authentication is checked.”

The district administrations will verify these data. “We are asking the victims to produce identity card such as voter identity card, ration card, water bill, electricity bill, gas connection bill, Aadhaar card, bank passbook, post office passbook, property ownership document, driving licence, birth certificate, Indian Passport or any other valid government issued documents showing identity and proof of address. All those who produce such documents will be considered genuine,” said an official from the East district.

The government has also made provisions for people who have lost their documents in the flood. The revenue department official quoted above said, “For people who have lost their documents, the district administration will conduct a field inquiry and submit such cases to the (revenue) minister to decide on payment of ex gratia. If the revenue minister approves, the compensation will be provided to such families as well.”

An official from the South East district said that special camps will be organised in the relief camps as well as in the affected neighbourhoods to help create bank accounts for those affected families who do not have an account.

Separately, development minister Gopal Rai has asked officials to start checking the health of animals in the flood-affected areas, following which the animal husbandry department has constituted eight teams. “The department has been instructed to rescue animals, provide suitable medicines, and vaccines for them. Two mobile vans have been allocated on a rotational basis for rehabilitation camps dedicated to the well-being of animals. Furthermore, orders have been given to consistently provide sufficient animal feed in the relief camps,” Rai said.

Meanwhile, food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain visited relief camps in the Central district and monitored fumigation work in areas where floodwater was still to recede. “The minister directed officials to conduct regular fumigation in the area, which helps in the prevention of the spread of vector-borne diseases during the rainy season,” said an official.