Chak Shila: A riverside village in Delhi more concerned about the rains than COVID-19

New Delhi: Residing at Delhi's Chak Shila Village, located around 8 kilometres from the Mayur Vihar-Noida DND flyover, some 80 families are struggling to survive on the bare minimum, especially given the pandemic. Located on a small piece of land near the Yamuna, the area is isolated and surrounded by water on three sides.

Although there have been no COVID-19 cases reported in the village so far, what concerns families here is surviving the next week as rains are predicted with the river already dangerously bordering around the warning level. However, officials said on Monday that the water-level in the Yamuna is receding but weather officials have predicted heavy rains this week.

The village can be reached through a lone muddy path that presents itself after a 10-minute boat ride over the river.

Kumari, a 52-year-old mother of eight children, said that life becomes unbearable every time during this year. "I was born and brought up on this piece of land. I grew up and married here and life has not been easy. We don't have water or electricity here, which is why we store water for one week in our homes," she said.

Millennium Post visited the area for two days and witness how the families were aloof and struggling during the pandemic situation.

On the other side, about 8 kms away, the shimmering lights of the DND flyover shine above the small village that does not have proper roads. "This has always been a disputed land, while we have been displaced a lot of time. Our homes have been broken and demolished by the authorities. What I want to ask them is where they expect us to go," Kumari said.

These residents mostly work odd jobs in salons, are employed as daily labourers but a majority of them earn by farming the banks of Yamuna.

The families grow vegetables and fruits, which is then sold in the market. They said that they have not yet had any COVID-19 cases, mostly owing to connectivity issues.

Shikha, a 23-year salon worker said that at such times, isolation is the only reason why they are safe. "We have to struggle double for small things. Here children start their schools at 6 am and reach their place by 8 am, so connectivity is a major issue, but during COVID we are a bit relieved," she said while preparing dinner.

Her father Dinesh said that they do not want to live in such conditions and that there has not been much help from government authorities. "It is just civil societies that keep giving us things like we have one solar panel bulb at our houses, which was given to us by some NGO people. We want the government to give us a house so that we can have a normal life," he said.

The families have been living in the area for more than 20 years, however, neither the state nor the Central government has taken much of an initiative to address the situation. "It's not like this is a no man's land, the government is aware that we live here," Dinesh said.

The families, at the moment, are struggling to survive with no jobs available and the current unpredictability of the rains keeping them awake at night.