A year on, no government aid, Dima Hasao village's unresolved hailstorm aftermath

Despite a year passing since the catastrophic hailstorm on March 2023, wreaked havoc on villages across the district, residents of Durbinship village, located 8 kilometers from Umrangcho, still grapple with the aftermath as they await government assistance to rebuild their shattered lives.

On March 19 last year, the tranquil village of Durbinship was plunged into chaos as severe storms and hailstorms pounded the area, leaving many families displaced and their homes reduced to ruins. However, despite assurances from the Disaster Mukbila Prasaman Department, villagers allege that they have not received the promised government aid to restore their dwellings.

Initially provided with temporary relief in the form of tarpaulin and tin sheets, the affected families hoped for substantial support to reconstruct their homes. However, a year later, discontent simmers among the villagers as they lament the paltry grants ranging from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,000 deposited into their bank accounts on April 3.

Expressing their dissatisfaction, villagers voiced concerns over the insufficient aid, emphasizing that the meager sum fails to address the monumental task of rebuilding their homes from the ground up. With their grievances mounting, they implored Dima Hasao district commissioner Seemanta Kumar Das to intervene and expedite the resolution of their plight.

Amid the prevailing discontent, the distress of individuals like a woman from Durbinship village, whose name is listed among the affected families, adds to the prevailing frustration. Despite her dire circumstances, she has yet to receive any government assistance, leaving her to resort to desperate measures such as attempting to sell her chickens and withdraw car rental funds from Umrangso Bank.

The plight of Durbinship village underscores the broader challenges faced by approximately 50 families in the area, who continue to endure the aftermath of last year's natural calamity. Despite the district disaster management department's inclusion of photographs and names of affected families in the village, the promised aid remains elusive, exacerbating the villagers' hardship.

As the specter of another storm season looms, the villagers find themselves grappling with uncertainty and disillusionment, questioning the extent of their suffering as the government appears indifferent to their plight. With their appeals for assistance echoing unanswered, the resilient community of Durbinship remains steadfast in their hope for a swift resolution to their predicament.