Flood victims living in filthy conditions

Prayagraj: Many families in low-lying areas are still bearing the brunt of the aftermath of floods. Filth, putrid smell, insanitation and mosquitoes are compounding to the woes of flood-affected residents. As majority of flood hit victims have returned their homes from relief camps, residents of some flood hit pockets like Ganga Nagar, Chota Bagahra, Salori, Rajapur,Mau Sariya and adjoining areas complained that they are living in filthy conditions, and government officials are yet to take corrective measures.
For many of them, it’s like an unending nightmare and the mosquito menace is giving them sleepless nights. District Malaria Officer (Prayargaj) Anand Singh told TOI, “Extensive cleaning and spraying of bleaching exercise has been carried out in flood affected areas”.
He added, “20 more additional teams were roped in for cleaning purpose, besides, spraying of anti-larva exercise has been taken up”. Apart from engaging them for cleaning works by government agencies, residents have too hired private sanitary workers to get houses as well as lanes cleaned as maintaining sanitation has become a huge challenge for them.
Residents said that the rivers may have receded, but relief is still a distant dream for them. Rakesh Kumar of Ganga Nagar says, “We have to live in the midst of bad smell and accumulated filth everywhere, we have to arrange drinking water on our own,”.
Residents claimed, “Apart from flood water, drain water had also entered their homes during floods and led to the worst conditions which they had never faced before. It were residents of colonies who are helping each other out. It will take at least two weeks to put things in order at home before we can get on with our lives.
However, if it rains in the coming days, the situation may get worse,” said locals. District authorities, meanwhile, said teams were fogging and spraying larvicides in affected areas.