Weeks after Delhi floods, Hindu refugees from Pakistan await help

Eighteen-year-old Anita, a Hindu refugee from Pakistan, points to a mound of bricks -- once a part of her home but now a reminder of the devastation caused by the Yamuna's floodwater that submerged large swathes of Delhi last month.

While the floodwater has since receded, the Hindu refugees from Pakistan living near the riverbank in Manju Ka Tila continue to reel from the financial and health burden it caused.

Unable to afford immediate repairs, many of these refugees continue to live in their damaged homes -- some with collapsed walls and broken doors. Many of them are bedridden after hurting themselves in the rush to evacuate to safety.

"The walls collapsed and the doors broke and we have to live with that. Our financial condition is such that we cannot immediately get the broken doors repaired," Anita told PTI.

Following heavy rain in its upper catchment areas, the Yamuna in Delhi flowed above the danger level -- smashing the all-time record set 45 years ago by a significant margin.

The ferocious river turned the national capital's roads into rushing streams, parks into watery labyrinths, and homes and shelters into submerged realms, severely disrupting daily life.

However, despite bearing the brunt of the devastating floods, nobody came forward to assist them, Anita alleged.

"Some of them provided cooked meals for barely a day or two. Some others provided ration that would last one or two days," she said.

For the past 10 years, the family has been living in the area that is still devoid of basic facilities.

"... Most households still use 'mud chulha (clay stoves)' to cook. If the administration did not bother about us earlier, why will they be bothered now?" Anita asked.

Kanhaiya, another Pakistani refugee living in Majnu ka Tila for the past eight years, said six members of his family were injured while evacuating to safety during the floods.

He claimed they received no assistance when the floodwater entered their home.

"Six of my family members were injured during the floods. My wife fractured her legs and my six-year-old nephew broke his hand. Nobody provided any help. We are selling off carts and some other belongings to manage financially," Kanhaiya told PTI.

Kanhaiya's wife, Pooja, who fractured her legs while crossing a road during the floods, remains bedridden.

"I still cannot walk; it will take me another month to recover. Our entire house went under the water and most of our belongings were washed away. The administration provided no help," Pooja said.

The floods bore devastating consequences for people living on the riverbank with more than 27,000 evacuated from their homes. The losses incurred in terms of property, businesses and earnings have run into crores of rupees.

Meera, another Hindu refugee from Pakistan, said, "The water had receded but our woes remain. Most of our belongings were washed away. Nobody helped us evacuate, it was only the policemen who came and screamed -- 'Floods are coming, go away from here'."

"We were living in a nearby school. We are still affected financially. We were anyway devoid of several basic facilities and now the floods have added to those woes," she told PTI.

Meera said it will take at least a month to recover from the damage.

"There was no electricity, no drinking water for two weeks. We used to visit the nearby gurudwara to get drinking water. Some politicians visited us and provided cooked meals a time or two for a day. Some came and provided ration for two to three days," she added.

Dharamveer Solanki, considered to be the Pradhan (chief) of the community, said at least 200 families were affected by the floods.

"The administration provided minimal help. Some of them provided cooked meals and some ration for a day or two," Solanki told PTI.

He said the lack of Indian citizenship is the biggest hurdle in front of them.

"When BJP MP Manoj Tiwari visited the area, he also assured help with our citizenship before 2024. That is one of our biggest problems and we have been seeking it (citizenship) for more than a decade," he added.

The Delhi government has formed a three-member committee of experienced engineers to suggest ways to prevent the recurrence of floods in the city, according to officials.

The committee will serve an advisory purpose, suggesting long- and short-term steps to prevent flood situations in the future, said an irrigation and flood control department officer.