Residents cry ‘apathy’, as hundreds of families struggle for basic amenities near Yamuna Bank Metro Station

New Delhi: About 500-600 families have been struggling for basic necessities near the Yamuna Bank Metro Station with residents complaining of government apathy in the face of rising river waters following heavy rain.

The Yamuna river crossed the danger mark of 205.33 meters even as the government has provided shelter to just around 150 of the 500 families.

Millennium Post spoke to the affected families who have had to abandon their flooded homes and take to the streets with very little support from the government.

Several areas along the Yamuna Bank have been flooded and have been on high alert for the last three days. The stranded 500-600 families with 4-5 members in each had to vacate their houses. A single group of 4 to 5 families have been allotted one tent.

The government has provided 35 tents so far which provide shelter to 140 to 175 families of the 2,000 to 2,400 people who have been affected. The remaining affected families are scraping for support from neighbouring households or former employers.

Most of the affected families depend on farming or are daily wage workers, auto drivers, and housemaids and as the flood water reached their homes before government resources they had to flee on their own.

The entire area with their houses was submerged in the flood within half an hour, said one affected person. The suffering people have lost hope in the government to help them to survive the flood, and most of the tents and resources are managed by themselves. One water tanker comes with fresh water daily which barely covers the families living in the 35 tents.

Since the area was flooded within 30 minutes the affected people are struggling to cook their meals as their kitchen and other utility items are still in the submerged houses.

Ranjit has been struggling to make money as his tools were left behind in his flooded home. “I work as an electrician under a contractor. He is not answering my phone as I asked for some advance in these times. It is very tough. I cannot even go out and earn. I will try to go back to my hometown near Jamshedpur,” he said.

The locals near Yamuna were expecting more help from the government since it has been three days and not enough resources have been provided to them. “As the water levels rise our hopes from the government reduce even more,” said one of the affected labourers.

Millennium Post contacted the government for comment but did not receive any response.