Paunsari village disaster victims still await

Eight months after a disaster struck Paunsari village, around 45 families remain without safe or permanent shelter, raising fresh anxiety as the monsoon season approaches.

Eight months after a disaster struck Paunsari village, around 45 families remain without safe or permanent shelter, raising fresh anxiety as the monsoon season approaches.

Eight months on, Paunsari village disaster victims still await proper
rehabilitation
Yogesh Nagarkoti

Bageshwar: Nearly 45 families in Paunsari village in Uttarakhand’s
Bageshwar district continued to live in fear and uncertainty months after a
devastating disaster struck the area in August, with little progress on
rehabilitation or restoration of basic infrastructure.

Many displaced residents still took shelter in others’ homes, while some
were forced to live in cracked and unsafe houses. The destruction of fish
ponds, a key source of livelihood in the area, left families without income.

“We lost everything that night,” said 37-year-old Manoj Ram, whose house
was completely washed away in the disaster. “My family survived only
because we had gone to my brother’s house. But apart from Rs 2,200, we have
received no meaningful compensation.” Manoj said his trout fish farming
business was destroyed, leaving him with no source of income. “The entire
area now resembles a graveyard,” he said.

Village head Mahesh Ram said that despite assurances from authorities,
little changed on the ground. Paths, drinking water systems, and bridges
were completely destroyed. Even after eight months, nothing has been
rebuilt,” he said. “When the Chief Minister and District Magistrate
visited, they spoke about relocating residents, but we have since been left
to fend for ourselves.”

The disaster claimed five lives, and the body of one victim, Puran Chandra
Joshi, was yet to be recovered. Locals said the absence of reconstruction
and safety measures heightened fears, especially with the monsoon
approaching.

“There is no farming, no employment, and no protection work being carried
out. We have been abandoned,” said a resident. “Even basic access roads
have not been restored.”

The tehsil administration said relief measures were initiated, and
officials said five families whose houses were damaged were given
compensation of Rs 5 lakh each. They cited geological reports suggesting
normal conditions in the area.

District Disaster Management Officer Shikha Suyal said tenders were issued
for several projects. “Some works are currently underway, while budget
approvals have been sought for others,” she said.

Affected families in Paunsari continued to wait for relief and
rehabilitation ahead of the next monsoon.
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