Delhi’s famous flea market at the Tibetan Monastery faces the danger of being submerged under the waters of marauding river Yamuna as the water entered this market on Monday morning and the entire area was filled with water. In the process it has affected the livelihood of hundreds of Tibetan families who earn out their living by selling clothes and wares in the market.
Tibetan Monastery market was completely shut after water from the river Yamuna entered the market and reached neck level of people around 9 am on Wednesday. Hundreds of families are staying their and many tourists from Nepal and Tibet had also come to visit the monastery and were residing in the area in hotels and rented rooms had to be rescued as well. Many students from leh and ladakh have come for admissions at the Delhi University and were residing there. Within minutes they had to shift out and evacuate the area.
“Till Tuesday the water was their but had not reached a level like this. In the morning the water reached till our necks. I had come for admissions along with my family and was staying at a rented room. We have been rescued now but have no idea where we would be staying and under what conditions,” said Tsering Dolma a student who has come from ladakh.
Though the rescue operations began at a swift pace and made sure that there was no damage caused to life and property but then shutting down the market would adversely affect the living of the people as they will not be able to carry out their business and this would hit hard on their financial state. The families who would be shifted to rescue tents do not know how they would survive without their daily business. However, a few could be seen having fun and playing in the water.
“I have been living here and running my ready made garment business from around 23 years. Though I have shut down my shop and removed half of the things from there; I wonder how life would be when we will be back. We are just shutting down shops and leaving to save ourselves and other families” said Mahendra who is a native of Nepal and runs a garment shop at the market.