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 properrehabilitationYogesh NagarkotiBageshwar: Nearly 45 families in Paunsari village in Uttarakhand’sBageshwar district continued to live in fear and uncertainty months after adevastating disaster struck the area in August, with little progress onrehabilitation or restoration of basic infrastructure.Many displaced residents still took shelter in others’ homes, while somewere forced to live in cracked and unsafe houses. The destruction of fishponds, a key source of livelihood in the area, left families without income.“We lost everything that night,” said 37-year-old Manoj Ram, whose housewas completely washed away in the disaster. “My family survived onlybecause we had gone to my brother’s house. But apart from Rs 2,200, we havereceived no meaningful compensation.” Manoj said his trout fish farmingbusiness was destroyed, leaving him with no source of income. “The entirearea 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 bridgeswere completely destroyed. Even after eight months, nothing has beenrebuilt,” he said. “When the Chief Minister and District Magistratevisited, they spoke about relocating residents, but we have since been leftto fend for ourselves.”The disaster claimed five lives, and the body of one victim, Puran ChandraJoshi, was yet to be recovered. Locals said the absence of reconstructionand safety measures heightened fears, especially with the monsoonapproaching.“There is no farming, no employment, and no protection work being carriedout. We have been abandoned,” said a resident. “Even basic access roadshave not been restored.”The tehsil administration said relief measures were initiated, andofficials said five families whose houses were damaged were givencompensation of Rs 5 lakh each. They cited geological reports suggestingnormal conditions in the area.District Disaster Management Officer Shikha Suyal said tenders were issuedfor several projects. “Some works are currently underway, while budgetapprovals have been sought for others,” she said.Affected families in Paunsari continued to wait for relief andrehabilitation ahead of the next monsoon.