The wounds inflicted by the June 2013 disaster have not yet healed for many residents of Uttarkashi’s Bhagirathi and Yamuna valleys. The people here are apprehensive as flood security works in areas at risk from flood are still far from completion even as the monsoon season not far away.
last year, everything was normal in this region till June 12. The showers that began on June 15 last year were welcomed by the people as a relief from the summer heat. However, by the evening the Bhagirathi and Asi Ganga were in spate and for the next two days thousands of people in the Bhagirathi and Yamuna valleys witnessed nature’s fury.
Hundreds were rendered homeless and the topography along the banks of the Bhagirathi was totally altered. On June 15, the Rishikesh-Gangotri highway was blocked at Chinyalisaud, Sainj, Nalupani and Dharasu. On June 16, hundreds of pilgrims were stranded at various places on the highway due to blockades. The floods on June 16 also devastated the Ujeli and Tiloth residential areas. Due to the floods in the rivers and nullahs the roads and bridges were damaged due to which 135 villages were cut off for three months.
Now, a year after the disaster not even a single of the one and a half dozen bridges swept away by the floods has been re-built. The river bed raised by the flood debris have not been brought back to normal. This has raised the danger of erosion of river banks during the rains when rivers come in spate.The Government has approved funds and projects for disaster relief and flood protection but the slow pace of work and its inferior quality is making the locals feel insecure.
Flood protection works are being undertaken at Joshiyada, Maneri, Tiloth, Matli and other areas but according to locals, most of the works are only half complete at the most.The people living near the banks of Bhagirathi and its tributaries are watching the rivers with anxiety.