After losing their homes to raging floodwaters and mourning the deaths of two young girls, around 30 families from Chhattisgarh’s Brehbada and Kader villages in the Abujhmad region waited for three days for relief that, when it finally came, deepened their anguish instead of easing it.
Summoned to the local Panchayat ground on Saturday morning with the assurance that State Minister Kedar Kashyap would personally distribute relief supplies, the flood-hit families — including women and children — gathered under the open sky at 10:00 am. What followed, villagers allege, was hours of waiting as the minister failed to arrive, turning a desperate relief exercise into what they described as a “photo-op” event that never happened.
Despite the visible presence of relief kits, the supplies remained undistributed for hours as villagers waited until nearly 4:00 pm. Eventually, local Panchayat officials handed out the materials in the minister’s absence, citing his inability to reach the area due to poor road conditions.
The delay comes in the aftermath of torrential rains on the nights of July 28 and 29 that devastated large parts of Abujhmad. Swollen rivers and streams submerged several villages, with Brehbada and Kader among the worst affected. Over 30 houses were either damaged or washed away, leaving dozens of families homeless and stripping them of basic necessities. The disaster also claimed the lives of two young girls from Brehbada, intensifying the grief in the community.
For families who had been struggling without food, drinking water, or shelter, the prolonged wait for aid added to their distress. “We were told that the minister would come here to distribute relief supplies. But he failed to turn up and we were disappointed. Our entire village has been devastated by the floods,” said Buddhu Nureti, one of the affected villagers.
Another resident, Sonaru Ram Hichami, voiced frustration as the wait stretched on. “We were informed at the panchayat level that relief supplies would be distributed here, but we haven’t received anything yet,” he said.
Lalsu Nureti highlighted the urgency of their situation, stating that families were facing an acute shortage of food and essentials. “If we could get food and drinking supplies, our hardship would be eased,” he said.
Recounting the night of the disaster, villagers said they narrowly escaped greater tragedy. Many fled with their livestock to higher ground in the hills as floodwaters engulfed their homes. “Had there been any further delay, the damage would have been far worse,” Nureti added.
Minister Kedar Kashyap later stated that while he had intended to visit Brehbada, the poor condition of the roads made it impossible to reach the village. He added that the relief supplies were subsequently distributed through Panchayat members and administrative officials.
However, the explanation has done little to calm the anger among villagers, who questioned why the aid was not distributed immediately instead of being held back for hours in anticipation of the minister’s visit. For many, the episode underscored what they see as a misplaced priority— where visibility takes precedence over urgency.
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