Victims of the communal violence staying at Idgah relief camp in Mustafabad had to spent the whole night awake as their mattresses became wet due to the rain.
Nafeesa, a resident of Shiv Vihar, said that though water didn’t enter the tents, all their mattresses got wet as the tents were open. “All through the night, I, my daughters and many others stayed up or laid down on the centre where the mattresses were not extremely wet. It is becoming increasingly tough,” she said, adding, “I don’t know when we can go back to our houses. I am still scared.”
Nafeesa, a widow, ensures that her two teenage daughters are by her side all the time to “ensure their safety”.
A 20-year-old woman, who did not wish to be named, said that volunteers working at the camp helped them as much as they could. “They brought wooden planks and put them under the mattresses to raise it from the ground level. In the morning, when sun came out, we left the mattresses out to dry and brought them back later in the day,” she said.
Cleanliness factor
The streets leading to the Idgah are completely flooded and the sewage is getting mixed with rainwater, said Laik Ahmad from Doctors Unity Welfare Association.
Ahmad said the sanitation staff have been avoiding the area due to fear of violence. “Locals have been making efforts to clean the compound, mobile toilets and the trash but they are not professionals,” he said.
While rain has compounded their problems, at one corner of the room sat children surrounded by young volunteers. They were trying to bring the smiles back on the kid’s faces. The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights has organised a ‘Reading Mela’ where children are engaged in reading, writing, drawing and story-telling, to distract them.
Holding a notebook, Lucky (12), said that he enjoys the time at the ‘mela’ as he gets to spend hours drawing. “I drew three pictures yesterday [Thursday] but someone stole my drawing book,” he complained.
(With PTI inputs)
