Pune: “I haven’t gone to work in the past six days. I don’t know when I can resume. I am scared that I might end up losing my job as well,” said Manda Thakure, a resident of Tangewale Colony in Aranyeshwar, where water from Ambil Odha caused havoc last Wednesday night.
While the women residents of this colony of around 90 households in the area have already lost their homes and belongings, they now fear that they will also lose their source of income, as they are unable to get back to work.
“Our houses are being cleaned. All the stuff that we managed to save or that was given to us as aid is out on the street. How can we leave all this and go to work every day,” asked Thakure. In order to be heard, the women are voicing their fears and grievances to anyone who could help them, as they strive to make ends meet in this time of crisis.
One of the residents, who is leading the group, Shakuntala Mote, said, “Most of us work as domestic help in housing societies nearby. Presently, most families have supported us, but we wonder for how long. Many are afraid that they are going to lose their jobs.”
Loss of homes and livelihood
“We are sleeping at the Maharashtra Labour Welfare Board Office in Sahakarnagar. We spend the days on these footpaths outside our homes so that we do not miss out on any help that comes this way. It also helps us oversee the cleaning work of our houses that were damaged in the rains,” Mote added.
Savita Zanzad, who runs a tiffin service from her house, lamented the loss of business. “I had stocked up raw material worth around Rs 20,000 in my house. It has all been washed away in the floods. It has been a week since I have not been able to provide tiffin to students, and they have begun to call me up. They are asking me either to send them tiffins or give their money back. I am helpless now,” Zanzad sighed.
Similar is the story of Sarika Shinde, who runs a snacks centre nearby. Shinde said, “I sell poha, upma, idli, etc. All the material required to make the food has been swept away by the rain. I don’t know when I will be able to start my work again.”
While everyone has lost their belongings, right from clothes to furniture and electronic items, some have lost cash worth thousands and lakhs.
Demand for homes
“We want the government to provide us with new homes in the area near Vidya Vikas School in Sahakarnagar now,” Mote said determinedly.
“We cannot live here now. We have seen the risk that this area is prone to. Ambil Odha is right behind our houses, what if this happens again? We know that the land outside the school falls under the jurisdiction of the Collector. We want the government to provide us with safe houses there, that’s all,” she added.
