That sinking feeling in desert state
FLOOD FURY Schools in Pali, Jalore shut; IAF copters fail to rescue stranded people; rail service in Jodhpur division hit
rains in southwestern Rajasthan — districts of Jalore, Pali and Sirohi — in the last 48 hours have thrown life out of gear, marooning several villages and cutting off road links to major cities.
People are stranded in some villages in Jalore and Pali where rescue operations by the Indian Air Force (IAF) failed despite several attempts. Five people are stranded on a treetop in Jalore and more than 200 are marooned in Pali’s Dhola village, said Ratan Lahoti, Jodhpur divisional commissioner. Rescue teams were waiting for the weather to clear to launch fresh efforts.
Jodhpur division, which comprises Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Pali and Sirohi districts, received abnormal rain (60% more than normal) between June 1 and July 23. In terms of districts, barring Sirohi, all districts received abnormal rains. Sirohi got excess rainfall (20%-59% of the normal).
Most roads in these three districts have been cut off, making it difficult for the state government to rush in help. A column of army jawans (roughly about 100 personnel) from Jodhpur has been sent to Jalore on Monday but they couldn’t reach as the road has been cut off at Takathgarh.
Chief of state disaster relief force BL Soni said that out of 900 personnel, 600 have been deployed in the field. There are eight units of SDRF in the state, seven at divisional headquarters and one in Jaipur.
“Our teams have some members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also because they (NDRF) have a better experience and more equipment than our men,” he said.
There is 100 NDRF personnel in the state, stationed in Ajmer.
However, the state government sought three more teams of the national force on Monday.
Rajasthan’s minister of disaster management and relief Gulab Chand Kataria said a large number of people were marooned in Mount Abu, Sanchor and the adjoining areas. Food packets were being distributed to those affected by floods. towns has also received above average rains.
The district administration opened four gates of the Anasagar Lake as the water level is steadily climbing up due to the rains.
Meanwhile, rains have caused problems of water logging in low lying areas of the city.
In Nagaur district, in two separate incidents, four children died of drowning on July 23. Nadeem and Asif of Kuchaman and Ukmaram and Oma Ram of Bhopalgarh and Dantwara village died after falling in ditches filled with rainwater, said the police. While south-western Rajasthan and other parts of the state are witnessing heavy rains, the Hadauti region has received negligible rains in last 24 hours. The water resources department control room in Kota said that in the last 24 hours (ending 8.30 am), Baran received 2.6 mm, Bundi 13 mm, Jhalawar 1.5 mm and Kota got 0.5 mm rainfall.
Meteorological department official in Kota, Ajit Bhatia said that the rains in Kota have been scattered, inconsistent and deficient. (With inputs from Barmer, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Kota)