Last rites of Irshalwadi landslide victims performed

The rituals were conducted on the banks of the Morbe Dam near Irshalwadi. The youngest one to conduct the ritual was a 12-year-old girl named Radhika who has two younger siblings and has lost her parents in the tragedy

Navi Mumbai: The last rites of Irshalwadi landslide victims were performed on Friday, the 10th day of the tragedy. While 27 villagers died in the tragedy, 57 are still missing.

Last rites of Irshalwadi landslide victims performed

“The ritual was conducted for all 84 people that belonged to at least 15 families. Around 100 men who lost their dear ones shaved their heads. Two priests conducted the rituals. The villagers then offered ‘pind’ to the departed souls,” Ankush Paduwagh, Taluka President, said.

The rituals were conducted on the banks of the Morbe Dam near Irshalwadi. The youngest one to conduct the ritual was a 12-year-old girl named Radhika who has two younger siblings and has lost her parents in the tragedy.

Parshuram Nirgude of Varosewadi, a nearby village, said, “The children who were back from Ashram schools are still here. All the bodies were buried in the village as per our adivasi community’s rituals.”

Meanwhile, the Raigad administration on Thursday said that till now around 7,000 persons have been shifted to 51 camps from 103 landslide-prone villages in the district. This step was taken following the Irshalwadi landslide. “Not just the landslide-prone areas, but villages at risk due to swelling rivers were also shifted,” Manisha Pinglay, Raigad District Information Officer, said.

Due to the red alert that was issued in the district, a total of 6,968 persons from 2,040 families were shifted to safety and some of them opted to stay with their relatives. In this year’s rains, 56 houses have been destroyed and 336 houses have suffered partial damage.

Amba river in Nagothane, Kundalika river in Dolvahal and Patalganga river in Lohop crossed the danger level due to the incessant rainfall over the last week. “The shifted villagers have been provided with all essentials. A permanent rehabilitation of the landslide affected villagers is also being worked out. Irshalwadi victims are currently put up in container homes with all necessities,” Pinglay said.