A Week After Cyclone Nisarga Hit Raigad, Residents Still Await Govt Help

Atul Lokhande of Nanore village in Mangaon tehsil of Maharashtra’s Raigad district has a Honda motorcycle showroom on the Mumbai-Goa national highway. However, he has been roofless for a week since June 3. He suffered losses worth nearly Rs 2 lakh due to cyclone Nisarga. "Government people came and asked me my bank account number. But they didn't note down IFS code. I don't think I will get any compensation for the losses. Government is yet to start power connection here," a visibly disturbed Atul told NewsClick. Atul is among thousands of people in Raigad who had to bear huge losses due to the destruction caused by the cyclone.

The Nisarga cyclone hit Raigad district on June 3. The landfall of cyclone took place at Srivardhan. Mangaon, Tala, Srivardhan, Pen are among the most hit tehsils of the state. The power connection has been lost in the entire district. According to the primary estimate of the  Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, 15,000 poles have collapsed in Raigad district. The loss amounts to around Rs 50 crore.

Usman Patel of Morba village in Mangaon tehsil has taken shelter in a primary school. He lost his home after a tree fell on it. He was shifted to the school on June 3 itself. "The teacher in our village and also the police patil (representative of police) visited my house. They have written down our complaints. A few politicians also visited my home. But I haven't received any help till now," said Usman.

The Maharashtra government has declared Rs 100 crore as immediate help to Raigad district. However, people are saying that this is very less compared to the actual losses suffered. The Member of Parliament of Raigad has estimated the losses at over Rs 5,000 crore. "Gardens of betel nuts, bananas and coconuts in three coastal tehsilS have suffered huge losses. Also, damages to homes, shops, cowsheds is irreparable. The entire cost of the losses runs to more than Rs 5,000 crore as per primary estimates," said Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare.

As power supply is disrupted, there are more than 1000 villages where tap water schemes have come to a halt. People are either relying upon nearby wells or buying water. Even towns like Mangaon, Mahad, Pen, Wadkhal are facing water problems. When asked about the restoration of water lines, Raigad’s guardian minister claimed that within next week, all water lines would be active. "Water lines are not damaged. As power supply is disrupted, water pumps are not functioning. We are getting power lines activated," said Aditi Tatkare.

The cyclone, which was predicted to make landfall at Mumbai changed course and made landfall at Srivardhan area which is around 100 km south of Mumbai. The devastation that took place in and around Srivardhan area is higher. But as it is far from city, it is also far from the focus of mainstream media.

Uday Bapat is Sarpanch of Dive Aagar gram panchayat in Srivardhan,one of the worst hit areas of cyclone. It is also famous as a tourist spot. "We lost entire season of tourism this year due to COVID-19. The cyclone has added to our losses. Almost all gardens of coconuts and betelnut are damaged in the village," he said. There are 214 small and medium sized hotels in the village. "Half of them have suffered losses like damages to the tin roofs and broken windows. We will need government help like loan with low interests to restore the properties," said Avadhut Joshi, hotel owner in Dive Aagar.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Opposition leader in state council Pravin Darekar have visited the cyclone spots till now to take the stock of the disaster. CM Thackeray has assured more funding to the district once the primary estimate of losses comes to government. But what Raigad needs is not mere assurances but immediate relief.