Rajbagh remains inundated

Rajbagh remains inundated with water, much to the anxiety and anger of people against the government which has failed to dewater one of the worst flood-hit areas of the city.
The water level is around 3 feet in Rajbagh while in Kursu it goes 6 feet deep at some places with the local residents getting desperate to reach their homes.
“I am pleading before you please help us to convey it to the authorities that we don’t want to see our houses collapsing before our eyes. We have faced a very hard time and we are not in a state to face another tragedy. There is little hope. Perhaps we can save our four walls if nothing else,” Mushtaq Ahmed from Kursu Rajbagh told Rising Kashmir.
He said it has been now over 20 days now that their houses are inundated.
“There are few pumps and motors working for around 50,000 households. Water is receding at a very slow pace. This way our houses are at a high risk of collapsing.”
Locals were jostling with each other for a private boat which was helping the victims to get into their homes. Scores of people were standing outside a lane waiting for the boatman to come back and take them inside.
“We pay him Rs 1500 for a turn. This is the only way to reach our homes. Sometimes the boatman refuses to take us if we don’t pay him a good amount. There is no help from government. They even didn’t bother to keep a boat here so that we could have taken our things out of our houses,” another resident from the same area, Rabia Mushtaq said.
She added their houses have started stinking as if there were bodies inside.
The boatman takes people in turns from Green Extension Raj Bagh and drops them to their homes and after waiting for some time the boatman drops them back. The locals could be seen struggling for their turns.
Sakeb Kirmani, 24, had waited for eight hours near Green Extension Raj Bagh for his parents to return. He said his parents had gone to check their property after 21 days but had not returned.
“I hope all is well with them. We have lost everything in floods and today we came here to find if some clothes are left there. I am wearing my friend’s clothes but it is becoming unbearable now. Being homeless is the most painful feeling in this world,” Kirmani added.
He added the government is least bothered to dewater this area. “Are they waiting for another catastrophe?” he questioned.
Tawheeda Ali has been searching for a rental accommodation for three days, but she is not able to find an affordable place.
“I tried to find the accommodation everywhere, but nobody is willing to give a 1BH flat below Rs 15000 a month. It is quite expensive and we cannot afford it. On the other side, the government is not doing anything for us. We don’t need relief material or money; all we need is dewatering as soon as possible,” she said.
There are many other areas in Srinagar which are still under water. Authorities could not be reached for their comments despite repeated attempts.