The clock is ticking for Dharaji

Time changes quickly and brings a lot of changes with itself. It can bring adversities, prosperity, conflicts, resolve, hopelessness and determination. The Dharaji village has seen it all after the catastrophe of 13th may 2006.
It was a village of festivity, where each Poornima and Amavasya will bring a carnival like atmosphere and thousands of jubilant devotees will joyfully cheer and chant “Guru Dev Maharaj ki Jai”. Besides that it was a popular destination and could have been developed as a tourist spot for the nearby areas. It would have opened a heap of economic opportunities for the villagers in earning a living and generating an alternative source of income. It was on the verge of growth and development, since its popularity as a prospective tourist destination was increasing with every given day.

However the fate of the village changed due to one incident which was avoidable in the ordinary circumstances. The incident was that the water of Indira Sagar Pariyozana was released at night and had a devastating effect on the picturesque view of dharaji. Ironically when the water was coming down and was about to hit dharaji, a few of the villagers did see it coming and shouted “Pani aa raha hai “. Unfortunately the devotees thought it is the rain which was about to come and they started looking towards the clouds.

However the truth was very different, the water flushed into the wonderful Dharaji and destroyed everything that came along its way. According to MR Ramesh, who is one of the teachers of the primary school in Dharaji, it was one of the most demolishing incidents that he had ever experienced. He unraveled a story which was painful and depressing. He told us in an intense tone “13 th May 2006 was the day”. The scenic beauty of Dharaji was destroyed the flooding Indira Sagar. The water hit the mountain and many of the devotees were struck in between the rocks. They thought the only way to get out of the mess was to jump in Narmada and did just that.
The water of the dam unleashed itself with tremendous velocity and wiped out a canvas which can only be remembered now. The villagers strongly believe that the loss could have been mitigated, if the authorities had informed the villagers about the aftermaths of the incident.

Although the villagers were aware of the fact that a dam was under construction, but the magnitude of the structure was not disclosed to them. In one single moment, thousands of villagers were flown away by the fury of Indira Sagar and the casualties were close to 5000, very different from what was estimated by the state (1500 to be precise.). The casualties comprised most of the devotees of Narmada River who has come from nearby areas.

Since that dreadful incident, it has been a struggle for the villagers. The wait has been long and the pain has been everlasting. Today the place is considered a bad omen and the villagers are confined to their homes. The water has hampered the connectivity of dharaji to Punasa, one of the nearby towns. The water which used to separate the village from the town has rose from 100 feet to 1000 feet and has submerged most of the mountains which was the beauty of the place.

To make matters worse, the rehabilitation and the resettlement of the villagers seems far from been probable. The villagers possess a great sense of unity and determination, which will be vital in things to come in the future. The irony is that the state has built up a bridge of a massive budget of 11 crores on a Nala in Dharaji, although the same amount could have been spent in meeting the rehabilitation and resettlement needs of the villagers. The very fact that the villagers could have been rehabilitated and resettled for a sum lower than the expenditure incurred on constructing a bridge lacks a rational approach. It seems authorities have closed their eyes and decided to do everything except working on the welfare of the villagers. The villagers have also made their stance very clear and have stringently opposed the construction of the bridge. It was clearly evident from the fact that the opening ceremony of the bridge was abandoned, as the villagers strongly condemned and revolted in retaliation.

But the clock is ticking and it is high time now that the authorities realize their mistake and expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement process.
It is disheartening to see the ignorance of officials towards a village which had the potential of a tourist destination. Although the wounds of the village can never be filled or cured but an attempt to secure their future will rejuvenate the faith of the villagers in law and order