MAHARASHTRA FLOODS

CPI(M) Provides Relief To People Of Parbhani

Rajan Kshirsagar

THE flood-affected agricultural labourers and poor peasants of Parbhani district in Maharashtra are living in miserable conditions even after days of incessant rains. Nearly 70 villages of the district are worst-affected due to heavy rain fall and flood. Thousands have become homeless with complete loss of their livelihood. The state administration conducted meetings to gear up relief activity but the negligence and lethargic administration could hardly make any difference.

Even after seven days there is no electricity, no safe drinking water, and no access to medical aid despite the hollow declarations of state government. The state minister for rural development Ajit Pawar has made a public statement in Sakal newspaper on July 30 stating that government cannot provide relief to the hutment dwellers settled in so called “unauthorised colonies.” This atrocious attitude of the state government in the face of such a calamity clearly shows its anti-people stance. This approach is compounding the people’s misery. The flood situation is bound to be followed by outbreak of epidemic diseases and the following case study of Mangangaon Taluka in Parbhani clearly shows the gravity of the situation. 

Mangangaon, a small village of Parbhani Tehsil, is situated on the Dudhana river bank. The total village, with a population of nearly 1400, was inundated by flood water of Dudhana river. The people of the village suffered heavily due to flood. The district administration did not even care to visit the village and make a survey till the CPI(M) activists put pressure on the administration.

In fact, the village was already proposed for rehabilitation but the location of rehabilitation was also under the flood water of Dudhana this year! So much care for rehabilitation! All in all the state government’s so called “Disaster Management Plan” was nowhere seen to be in implementation during this calamity.

The basic services and amenities such as shelter, food, electricity, safe drinking water, health & medicines, education (as the school is totally under water), fodder for surviving cattle, fuel etc are totally unavailable for the people of the village.  The relief measures of state government are nowhere to be seen in this village till August 3 (at the time of writing this). And imagine this village is just 9 kilometers away from the district head quarters.

CPI(M) & MASS ORGNS ORGANISES RELIEF

The Party with its limited resources intervened to help the people in Parbhani district. Along with CITU, medical representatives union (MSMRA) and Khetmazdoor union it organised a health Camp from July 3 at Mangangaon (Taluka Parbhani.) in which treated hundreds of agricultural labourers and poor peasants were provided with treatment. The union collected medicines and thousands of rupees and distributed the same through volunteers and doctors to the urban hutment dwellers and rural labourers in the district. The Janavadi Mahila Samiti collected clothing and distributed it to women of the village. The CPI(M) and mass organisations have given a public call to collect books, stationary and other necessary material for the flood affected students of the district.

The CPI(M) exposed the negligent attitude of the government at in a meeting conducted by the care taker minister Siddharam Mhetre and demanded immediate implementation of an alternate action plan  suggested by the Party for relief activities. The Party is continuously putting pressure on the administration for undertaking urgent,  transparent relief operation in the district.

(The writer is CPI(M) Parbhani district secretary)