Forgotten: Flood victims feel abandoned by govt

Residents of Sharoon Colony wait for authorities’ response to their sufferings.

RAWALPINDI: Standing flood water in streets and houses, collapsed walls and roofs, scattered furniture and distressed faces welcome a visitor to Rawalpindi’s Sharoon Colony.

Located on the bank of Soan River, the locality, with around 700 houses mostly inhabited by Christians, has been badly-affected by the recent rains.

Residents say there is 3-5 feet of standing water in their houses and there has been no power for two days. Most were busy draining flood water out of their living rooms.

Almost 10 houses have been washed away by the flood and another 300-400 have been damaged. There has been no casualty due to the rains and floods in the colony.

Eight families said they were preparing for marriage ceremonies of their daughters and the flood has swept away their dowries.

People, who are without food and clean drinking water, complained that the city district government is not doing enough for their rehabilitation. They said political workers who visited them have only criticised the government and did not do anything for the victims. They, however, said that Bahria Town had provided them medical care.

Aerak, a resident, said rainwater had completely destroyed his house and estimated his loss at Rs300,000.

David, another resident, estimated his loss between Rs2 to Rs3 million. His home has been washed away and the furniture, he said, was lying in a nearby pond.

Diglus Rehmat, who is a taxi driver and a father of four, said his taxi was swept away by the water. “It was the only source of income I had.”

Pervaiz Gill said almost every household had suffered looses of at least Rs200,000. He said most residents live from hand to mouth and the rains have completely destroyed them, economically.

The victims demanded financial assistance from the government and philanthropists.

Sajid Nawaz, a local, said the government has distributed food among the residents. He said the authorities should help in rehabilitation of the colony.

Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar visited the colony on Saturday and promised to fulfill all the needs of the affected residents.

Residents say the civil defense department brought some tents on Saturday, took pictures and then took the tents back.

Deputy Director Civil Defense Sanjeeda Khanum, who visited the site on Saturday, told The Express Tribune that the department had set up a medical camp in a nearby school. “The DCO has now ordered to shift the camp to the colony.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2014.