Houses partially submerged following heavy rainfall, at Akota stadium area in Vadodara. File | Photo Credit: PTI Gujarat government on Thursday (September 12, 2024) announced a special compensation package for traders, street vendors and shop owners, affected by the recent floods in Vadodara.After the floods, the ruling BJP leaders faced protests from angry and frustrated communities who did not receive any support for nearly three days as their houses, business establishments and shops remained flooded.Now, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to his home State next week, the State government has announced a relief package, under which special one-time financial assistance will be provided to the flood victims and their families.As per the details shared by the State government, street vendors will be given ₹5,000 while small shopkeepers will get special assistance of ₹20,000. Large shop owners will get an assistance of ₹40,000.Those making a monthly turnover of ₹5 lakh in their businesses and having suffered from the floods can avail a loan of ₹20 lakh, on which the State government will partially pay the interest for three years.The government has asked the affected people to apply for the assistance by October 31.Following torrential rains across the State last month, large parts of Vadodara were flooded as the Vishwamitri river passing through the city inundated commercial and residential areas along its path.When the BJP leaders visited the flood-affected neighbourhoods, angry residents booed them asking why they did not turn up when the people were in crisis.Residents and civil society members, including some BJP workers, and opposition leaders blamed the ever-spreading encroachments along both sides of the river and huge concrete structures for blocking the water flow in the city.BJP leaders avoided visiting the local communities for a week after the floods while residents described the floods a “man-made” disaster. The State Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil, who visited the flood-affected parts on Thursday, and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Amit Chavda have blamed the BJP government, the local civic body which is under the control of the BJP, and builders connected with the ruling party for concretising the city and inviting the floods.In the last week of August, entire Gujarat came under a severe rainfall in which Vadodara recorded more than 239 mm of rain in 24 hours from August 26 and 27. It caused the 134-year-old Ajwa and the 94-year-old Pratappura reservoirs to overflow and flood the Vishwamitri river leading to the city going under water for nearly 72 hours.The State government had to deploy NDRF, SDRF teams and even army battalions to rescue people from the inundated areas. During his visit to the flood-hit city, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced ₹1,200 crore project to revive and rejuvenate the river and make the city flood-proof.In 2010 too, the BJP-ruled Vadodara Municipal Corporation had proposed a Vishwamitri Riverfront Development Project, for which a special purpose vehicle was set up. However, nothing moved beyond papers and presentations.Even in 2019, when the city was flooded, the then BJP government, led by Vijay Rupani, had announced a mega project to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri. However, after the floods, a detailed project report that was approved by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was never implemented either by the State government or by the local authorities.  Published – September 12, 2024 10:28 pm IST