Naugachia, Aug. 31: The ravaging floods have robbed the spirit of the festive season from the residents of flood-hit Gopalpur block under Naugachia sub-division in the district this year.

The spirits of the people have been sombre because of the floods that have washed away everything they had.

“I cannot remember another Id when we did not have new clothes, or when we did not prepare sewai. Along with over 400 members of the community, I did not offer namaaz this morning at the nearby masjid,” said Mohammad Shamsul, an LIC agent and a banana cultivator.

“Floodwater has still not receded from our village. Chandni Chowk in Bari Makandpur, the area where the masjid is located, is still waterlogged. The madarsa building there had collapsed earlier,” added Shamsul, a resident of Sheikhtola under Bari Makandapur panchayat at Gopalpur.

On August 18, floodwater entered Sheikhtola along with dozens of hamlets, after the zamindari embankment at Goshigaon under Gopalpur block broke.

“Standing banana crops on over 10 acres of my family land have been damaged. We were scheduled to harvest banana before Id. Our dreams have been shattered by the sudden collapse of the embankment,” he said.

“My children were asking for new clothes and sweets this morning but from where will I manage? The floods have destroyed every thing,” Bibi Amina, another villager, said. “We are virtually starving here. Flood has destroyed all the foodgrain. Twelve days have passed and there is no relief yet,” said Mohammad Mustakin, another victim.

“What Id are you talking about? We are not even getting pure drinking water,” a villager, said, pointing out that they are dealing with the pungent smell from the water. Another villager said they are afraid that an epidemic could break down any moment.

The natives of Sheikhtola blamed the administration for failing to address their problems. The villagers said an obstacle in the culvert on road number 14 at Chandni Chowk prevented the floodwater to come out from the village.

“Earlier, water used to drain out of the village quite easily through the culvert. However, after the culvert was damaged in the 2003 flood, the hole of the culvert was covered up during the repair works. There has been no flood since 2003 but this time the blockade in the way of the culvert has resulted in the waterlogging,” Shamsul added.

Sushil Kumar, the sub-divisional officer of Naugachia, was not available but Amlendu Sharma, circle officer of Gopalpur, told The Telegraph the matter was related to the public works department and they should take appropriate action. “We have made the district headquarters aware of the situation,” he added.