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Razi Ahmad
Profession: Secretary of Gandhi Sangrahalaya
Age: 76
I can never forget the 1975 flood. It had occurred during the Emergency. I was at Sadaquat Ashram when water had gushed in. In several places like SK Puri, Kidwaipuri and Patliputra, the water had reached up to the first floor. Food packets used to be dropped from helicopter at Gandhi Maidan. The army had opened a dam in Danapur, which had compounded matters at Patliputra. However, the rescue work was very quick with unprecedented volunteering.
As far as today’s situation is concerned, I do not think there would be any flood. The water level, which you see today, was the normal level at that time. People are scared because they had not seen the level of the Ganga before. For the past many years, the level has dipped.
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Suman Kumar Sinha
Profession: Theatre owner
Age: 57
The water had not entered the theatre but it had entered our house on Boring Road. My father Sushil Kumar Sinha had a boat and we used it to go to nearby places. Vegetables and other essential commodities used to be sold on boats as well. As I was quite young, it was more like a picnic for my employees and me. There was knee-deep water on Bailey Road. My family used to stay on the terrace.
I do not think that we are even close to flood in the city, because after the 1975 deluge, the state government constructed a huge boundary along the bank. It is strong enough to stop the water flow. I do not know about other districts but I am sure floods will not occur in the capital.
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Satya Narayan Bhagat
Profession: Businessman
Age: 70
The deluge was very horrifying. The water had entered almost all the houses near Gandhi Maidan, including my house on SP Verma Road. Cars, bicycle and motorbikes all went under water. Even Dakbungalow Chowk was under water and people used to stay on the terrace. When the food packets used to be dropped by helicopter at Gandhi Maidan, people used to rush to grab those. It took almost 10 days for water to recede and more than two months to put everything back in place.
At present, I do not think the city will be affected by flood. The water level used to be what you see today.
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Shailendra Kumar
Profession: Social worker
Age: 55
During the 1975 flood, I was involved in relief work and volunteered in the rescue operation. The army and others were also involved. It was a tough task and I used to make at least three to four rounds to the airport, as most of the relief material used to come there only. We had a team and it was our job to keep the people informed about the happenings in the city. I still remember that boats were pressed into service at Rajendra Nagar, Kadamkuan, Nala Road and Kankerbagh.
Today’s scenario is not like flood but it has scared the people because such a situation has not occurred after the 1975 deluge.
