Flood-hit residents cry for district admin’s assistance in Ghaziabad’s Loni

The list of flood-affected villages includes Nauraspur, Alipur, Mirpur Hindu, Lutfullapur Nawada, Badarpur, Khanpur Japti, Harampur, Ilaichipur and Pychara, along with four other villages that fall in Baghpat district

Meher Deen from Badarpur village in Loni is keen on keeping his mobile phone handy as it is his only means of keeping in touch with the outside world.

Badarpur village is waterlogged due to the flooding of the Yamuna river and has virtually turned into an island, like many other nearby villages. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Badarpur village is waterlogged due to the flooding of the Yamuna river and has virtually turned into an island, like many other nearby villages.

The Alipur embankment, the only safeguard against the raging Yamuna, suffered a breach near Subhanpur on Thursday evening and is yet to be repaired. The situation worsened on Friday and flooded many villages across Ghaziabad’s Loni, Tronica City industrial area and nearby localities.

“My village is completely waterlogged and wading through several feet of water is the only way to move out. I am trying to keep my phone running and charging it in my friend’s car. Whenever I need to charge my mobile, I call up my friend and he brings his vehicle to the embankment. I wade through the water to reach the embankment just to charge my phone. It is necessary as it is the only means to connect to the outside world,” Deen said.

Deen added that most people in his village are living on the first and second floor of their houses.

“Residents of houses having only one floor are being given shelter by their neighbours. Many villagers are staying on the embankment with their utensils, cattle, etc. There has been no electricity for the last three days and we are forced to drink water from the handpumps. The agricultural fields are also ravaged by the waterlogging and crops have been washed away. We are waiting for the district administration to assist us in these hard times and are surviving on rotis and chutney,” Deen added.

The list of flood-affected villages includes Nauraspur, Alipur, Mirpur Hindu, Lutfullapur Nawada, Badarpur, Khanpur Japti, Harampur, Ilaichipur and Pychara, along with four other villages that fall in Baghpat district.

“There are about 2,000 small scale factories in Tronica City industrial area and a majority of them are submerged in water. The worst affected are those that were operating from the basements and ground floors. I have suffered losses as water seeped into my factory on Thursday night. There has been complete laxity on the part of the local administration as it failed to identify and repair the breach, which has proved disastrous,” said Anil Kumar, general secretary, Tronica City Manufacturers’ Association.

Residents of areas such as Puja Colony and Khanna have also been affected due to the floods. People are seen wading through knee-deep water to procure ration. Many have moved to safer places, and it has become a common sight to see people wading through the water with their belongings.

Khanpur Japti resident Hari Ram Khari sensed the potential problem and sent his wife and children to their relative’s house.

“The situation is alarming at our village and many people have erected small mud structures to prevent water from entering their homes. Many are out on their tractors and providing help to people. The water level is still high, and I was not able to take my SUV home and stayed at my office,” Khari said.

The district administration, which is busy making arrangements for the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, said they have taken measures to assist all flood-affected people.

“We have roped in drinking water tankers from Loni Nagar Palika and food packets are being distributed two times each day. We have also put up tents on the embankment. There are about 500 people staying on the embankment. Buses were also pressed into action and many people were taken to the nearest Metro station, so that they can move to their relatives’ house,” said Vivek Srivastava, additional district magistrate (finance and revenue).

Srivastava said an estimated 10,000-12,000 people have been affected by the floods.

“We have built six shelters with each having a capacity to house 150-200 people. But villagers are not willing to stay here. We have also shifted the cattle to a cow shed (gaushala),” the ADM added.