2 thousand seafarers left Kashi due to flood: 1 inch of Ganga rises snatches livelihood of 15000 boatmen, families taking loans

31 days have passed. Ganga is still in spate in Banaras. Every second the restlessness of the 15,000 Ganga sons who run boats on the ghats is increasing. So far, more than 2 thousand seafarers have migrated with the family due to the hardships. Those who are left are risking their lives guarding the boats tied to the banks of the ghats.

Bhaskar is present at Ground Zero. Interacted with boat operators present at more than 10 ghats. Come, let’s understand their pain in turn…

Worry increases 2 times due to increase of 1 inch of Ganga

Pradeep Nishad has been guarding his boat at Dashashwamedh Ghat since August 10. His family cooks food on the boat itself.

Pradeep Nishad, who lives across the Ganges in Varanasi, has been piloting the boat for 17 years. For the last 20 days, his boat is standing tied at Rajendra Prasad Ghat. Raju says, “It is going to be a month, Ganga Maiya is not taking the name of stopping. The current of the water is so strong that last night 2 boats were washed away. Due to the fear of this loss, taking the risk, they stay on the boat. Eat here, sleep here.”

While baking the roti on the stove, Pradeep continues, “The ghats are submerged in water, the boat is dry from inside. That’s why the stove burns on this, it fills the stomach. There is no wife, no children, no one here to ask for a bite.”

The person who earns 1 thousand a day is fascinated by the pie

Sailor Bacchu Nishad told that the boat drivers have suffered the most due to the floods in the Ganges. So far no help has been received at the administrative level.

The family of Bacchu Nishad, a resident of Banaras city, has been boating for generations. Bacchu says, “Brother, there is a need for roti. Sitting without earning for 1 month. From the fees of the children to the ration of the house, the burden is increasing. More than 2000 people of our Mallah society have migrated due to floods.”

Recalling the days before the floods, Bacchu said, “In normal days, every boatman of Kashi used to earn 500 to 1000 rupees a day. But now I am not getting even a single rupee. We do not know anything other than to run a boat, so that we can earn money. The family has to maintain the family by borrowing and mortgaging the goods.

Every pillar of Kashi Corridor is saying – O Mother Ganga, you go back

Keshav told that if the water level of the Ganges continues to rise like this, the record of the 1978 floods will also be broken.

Keshav Nishad, a member of the Kashi Mallah Sangathan, says, “In the year 1978, there was a severe flood in Kashi. Half of Banaras was submerged. Then Kashi Naresh Vibhuti Narayan Singh had prayed at Gudauliya crossroads to pacify Ganga Maiya.

Keshav further says, “The king said in prayer – O Ganga Maiya, you go back. In this way today every pillar of Kashi Corridor with us is asking to go back from Ganga Maiya.”

now…
Even you have heard the words of the sailors of Kashi. Let’s go further on some data related to the boat business of Banaras…

Ufnai Ganga brakes 2000 boats, work of 15000 sailors stalled

This picture is of Assi Ghat. The ghat here is completely submerged, so the priests are getting the worship done on the stairs itself.

The people of the Mallah Union of Banaras say that for the last one month, more than 2000 boats are parked tied to each other at 88 ghats of Banaras. Union leader Kamal Singh says, “More than 15,000 sailors who ply boats from Assi to Rajghat are sitting empty. No one even knows when their work will start after the flood water recedes. After the water will come down, the silt and silt deposited on the ghat will be removed. This will take a month and then the boats will start moving.”

In the end, let us understand the impact of the rise in the water level of the Ganges on Varanasi through statistics.