Thiruvananthapuram: Water has not receded at the home of Sakuntala J, even as she and her family have been forced to leave Government MNLPS at Vellayani, a flood relief camp in Thiruvananthapuram taluk which closed down on Sunday.
It may be the last camp to be closed in the taluk. But the closing down is still premature, since water level inside Sakuntala's home continues to be up to the ankles. In their courtyard, the level of water should be at least up to their knee.
A few other families at the camp will have to wade to their homes, though their home itself is dry. Among them, the worst affected is Sujatha V, a young widow with two children. “There is water till the chest, outside our home. But the officials don't care. They had been asking us almost daily, if we are not leaving," she told DC on Saturday.
Sakuntala with her husband Sivadasan, sons Rineesh and Sreejesh, daughter-in-law Manju as well as grandchildren Mahima and Malavika, have now taken refuge at the 54-year-old's daughter's home. But since there are so many people, the grownups might have to sleep at the still-flooded home, she told DC.
These people were affected by the rains because they live on the side of farmlands. It is because the Kanjirathadi pumphouse near Sakuntala's home and Manglikery pumphouse near Sujatha's home are out of order that water could not be pumped out, according to K. Madanan, a pumphouse personnel. Getting this repaired will take weeks, according to the village officer.
This Saturday, people here were singing songs. Sakuntala too was in a merry mood and laughing when an official somberly sang a song about dysentery. Their brilliant spirit was in stark contrast to the callousness of the officials, who wound down the camp despite their situation.
On Saturday night, DC informed District Collector K Vasuki, who assured via a message that she will take care of it. However, no action has been taken as of yet. When village officer Biju C was asked, he said the minor irrigation team might only arrive on Monday.
