Darbara Singh’s house in Sangvi was flooded in 2005 too.In the 2005 floods, Darbara Singh and his family had endured a nightmare for hours before they were rescued by a team of experts from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
In a replay of the incident, the Singh family was stranded in their two-floor tenement in Sangamnagar area of Sangvi since Sunday, when officials from irrigation department started releasing water from the Pavana dam. In 2005, thousands of people living in low-lying areas were displaced. Sangvi was the worst hit.
While most residents in the locality had moved out by Sunday, the Singh family, and one neighbouring family, stayed put on the first floor, hoping that the rising water level would subside. “From early morning on Sunday, the water started entering our residence. We thought the water level will come down after a few hours, as has happened in the last few years. But it kept rising,” said Darbara Singh.
All the eight members of the two families with three small children were stuck on the first floor of the Singh house. “There were snakes and insects all around. Our mobiles had drained out as there was no power supply. Also, we were running out of drinking water,” said Pramod Chaudhari, adding that his family had lost several belongings as his house was almost submerged. “It will be tough to remain peaceful in such a difficult time,” he added.
“In 2005, we survived as it was difficult to contact the PCMC or seek help. This time, help came just in time as the situation was worsening,” said Singh.
PCMC officials sent a team with two boats to rescue them. An hour later at 5.30 pm, all of them were rescued.
There was one more family, which lives perilously close to the river, and had refused the PCMC’s repeated offers of help. Dominic Lobo and four members of his family were finally rescued by the PCMC team. “We waited for the water to subside. However, it kept rising and the situation looked dangerous. So, we decided to move,” he said.
PCMC chief Sharavan Hardikar said they tried to shift people to safer places but most refused to do so.
“They don’t want to leave their houses,” he said.
