Families pick up pieces after Hulimavu breach

A stench from rotting food and rubbish in damp streets greeted the families that returned home on Tuesday from the relief centres they had moved to on Sunday following the breaching of the Hulimavu tank, that flooded their houses and destroyed their belongings. On day 3, many families returned to start the cleaning process to rebuild their lives. But around 137 families remained in the shelters, waiting for orders to leave by the BBMP while it fumigated their streets and houses.

The relief centres will continue to provide food, medicines, and clothes to all the victims who leave them, in addition to those who remain in the shelters while  their houses get ready for occupation. The victims have pinned their hopes on the Rs 50,000 compensation promised per family and the 15-day rations, to begin the process of rebuilding their lives.  

With tear-filled eyes, a group of women at a relief centre said, “We are left with nothing at home. We have been sitting here for three days now. The earlier we get to leave, the better, because we have to get back to work.”

Left with no clothes or food, the women are waiting  to go home to assess the loss they have suffered.  “Promises have been made. I hope it translates into reality soon. Because we are left with no other option other than to wait for help,” they added.

For those who  returned home, the experience was as traumatic as leaving it.   "My child has been vomiting continually  from the time we have come back,” said a worried woman, Gowramma, who was told  Tuesday afternoon with a few other families  to move to their homes by the authorities, who claimed that the BBMP had cleared the streets and sanitized the area. But on reaching their lane, Gowramma and the others were disturbed to see the shape their houses were in. “Who will come to our rescue? When will our lives get back to normal?” wailed a distraught Gowramma as her husband added, “All our documents, including the aadhar card, ration card, original vehicle documents like RC book, insurance, driving license, and our daughter’s official papers for the  Bhagyalakshmi scheme are gone.”

The two have sent their children away to their hometown for a few days till they clear the mess. Gowramma, who works as a sweeper and her husband works as garbage collector, regretted, “We help to clean the city, but there is no one to help us.”

Elsewhere, Mr Suresh, owner of a printing press in Krishna Layout, moaned that he had suffered a loss of close to Rs 1 lakh over the last two days. “The motors and generator have stopped working and our raw material has  perished. The orders that were ready for delivery have also been destroyed,” he complained.

When the  floods occurred, Mr Suresh was out of town and was shocked on  his return, to see the press in knee-deep water.

Some other locals like  Roopa were also shocked. “I was watching television when my children came running home  to say that there was water everywhere. My husband wasn’t at home and I didn’t know what to do. I immediately took my children to my neighbour’s house, which was on relatively high ground, but by the time I returned home, I found buckets, water bottles, vessels, books, etc. floating in water,” she recounted. Fear-stricken, she immediately called her husband and the family moved to a relief centre

Returning on Tuesday, Roopa and her husband were successful in clearing up the mess, but found little comfort in the job, considering the loss they had suffered. “The 4 to 5 kgs of rice that I had bought home, and other provisions for the house have all perished. There is a rotten smell coming from the rice, ragi, and wheat,” Roopa lamented.  Her husband ,who is a food delivery person,  hasn’t been able to go to work for two days.

“Although  we have seen  waterlogging in our street during heavy rain, this was totally unexpected,” said Roopa.