On two days earlier this month, Surat saw its worst flood of the season so far – caused by swelling of two creeks. Officials attribute this to ‘haphazard’ development along the creek banks after the 2006 delimitation, when the city grew from 112 square metres to 461 sq m. KAMAL SAIYED reportsAMIR ANSARI, 52, came to Surat several years ago with many dreams – like the thousands of other migrants from Bihar. Hailing from Gopalgunj district, Ansari and his wife Hamida began a new life in a new city. After doing petty jobs for a couple of months, he launched a property brokership. The couple had three children. On July 7, their sons, Harun, 23, and Faruk, 22, who were returning after work in a Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) factory at Sachin, did not reach home. Ansari last spoke to them around 6 pm that day when they told him that they had left the factory along with a colleague. At that time, the Mithi Creek waters overflowed, leading to flooding as deep as six feet.Also read | Lost in Surat flood, a 17-yr-old walking home, a school van driver: As water recedes, a terrible tragedy emergesAnsari soon heard that two men had drowned near the main road in Unn Patia, a suburb, and his heart sank. The following day, his sons’ bodies were recovered. They were among the nearly 34 who were swept away in the creek floods and drowned on the two fateful days of July 7-8, when the city received over 14 inches of rain.The family is now left with the youngest daughter, who is 12, Faruk’s widow and their six-month-old child. Harun had been engaged to be married soon. The Tapi River, which flows through Surat from East to West into the Arabian Sea, breaks out into several tributaries along the way (Express)Ansari told The Indian Express, “I have not witnessed such severe flooding in our area ever before. In the 2006 floods, we were not impacted but this time there was 4 to 6 feet deep water in Unn. I feel I have lost both my hands, as both my sons were earning around Rs 55,000 a month. They had been on the job for five to six years. The property brokerage business has not been running well for the past few years. Our family relied on the income of my sons and I was adding a small portion. After their death, we are worried about how we will survive in this city. My daughter-in-law is still with us. I am much older and suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, so I cannot work in the textile mills. We will stay here for a few more months and later, after seeing the situation, we may return to our native place in Bihar.”It was in 2006 that Surat was previously ravaged by floods, and around 150 persons died largely because of water released suddenly from the Ukai Dam upstream of the Tapi River, leading to flooding.Why creeks turned into gravesThe Tapi River, which flows through Surat from East to West into the Arabian Sea, breaks out into several tributaries along the way. Surat is among Gujarat’s coastal cities with multiple busy ports, with its diamond, textile and brocade embroidery industries attracting thousands of migrants from across the country. Historically, the city served as an important trade centre in the 17th century.Story continues below this adSurat Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials say that the city’s expansion and “unregulated” development is a major reason for the creeks losing their natural course and flooding the city. Surat municipal limits was 112 sq kilometres (km) in 2004 but grew to 461 sq km following delimitation, a move that urbanised what was agricultural land.Also read | South Gujarat Schools asked to make up for flood-lost days by working on public holidaysThe city sees several creeks pass through it that serve as natural streams for flow of storm water or treated sewage, till their flow is obstructed. These are the Mithi, Koyali, Bhedwad, Simada and Kakra creeks which pass from different parts of the city and finally meet the Arabian Sea through the Mindhola River at Khajod. Officials attribute this to ‘haphazard’ development along the creek banks after the 2006 delimitation, when the city grew from 112 square metres to 461 sq mOf these, Mithi and Bhedwad are linked to the flooding of the city on July 7-8, claiming several lives and destroying homes and textile markets. When the 56-km Mithi Creek overflows, its water enters the low-lying areas of Udhna, Limbayat, Dindoli and Bhestan creating flood-like situations.Surat Municipal Commissioner M Nagarajan recently said the city had received 30 per cent of the season’s rainfall on those two days. However, two weeks later, Surat was under water again as South Gujarat received another spell of heavy rainfall, leading to swelling of rivers.Story continues below this adThe storm and sewage water from the Bardoli command area passes through different parts of the city and meets the Arabian Sea.The Mithi Creek meets the Mindhola River , a Tapi tributary, at Khajod, where the swanky Surat Diamond Bourse in the Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) city, is located.Other major buildings on the creek banks are: The Raghukul and Millenium Textile Markets on Mithi CreekSMC officials said that this season, for the first time, they observed that due to the rise in water in the Bhedwad Creek, a flood-like situation arose at Pramukh Park bridge (both sides), Talangpur, Dindoli and Pandesara areas in Udhna. Officials attribute this to “unprecendented” rainfall. On July 7, Palsana saw a record rainfall of 18 inches, Kamrej 17 inches and Surat city 14.5 inches, while Bardoli also recorded over 15 inches.Story continues below this adSMC sources said it was also looking at the Irrigation Department survey report, the DILR (District Inspector, Land Record) report and CWC reports.Surat District Collector Tejas Parmar said, “Till Friday afternoon (July 24), we have distributed Rs 6.80 crore as cash dole to around 75,651 people, followed by Rs 18.15 crore to 36,315 for their household items damage compensations. A total of Rs 24.95 crore have been distributed to the beneficiaries as cash to the flood-affected victim families. We have also started distributing the compensation amount of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those who died in the floods. We are collecting various documents, such as police report (accidental death), post-mortem report, panchnama, details of the kin of the deceased and their documents.”Sources in the district collector’s office said that 35 people died due to floods in Surat city and district. The year 1988 saw heavy rainfall of 388 mm recorded in Bardoli and Palsana talukas in Surat district. Water entered agricultural fields directly and some flowed into natural drains. (Express)‘Mithi Creek a major concern’Limbayat Zone Deputy Commissioner N M Patel said, “There are two types of floods – river flood and creek flood. River floods affect parts of the city which falls on the banks of the Tapi River. If more water is discharged from Ukai Dam, the water level in the Tapi, which has around 2.50 lakh cusecs carrying capacity, increases and later water enters into the different parts of the city. As for creek floods – we have two major creeks, Mithi and Bhedwad – they overflow and result in flood situation in low-lying areas on the banks in Udhna Zone of the SMC.”Story continues below this adHe added, “Among Mithi and Bhedwad creeks, our major concern is Mithi Creek, which affects large areas in the city. We have got the data of Mithi Creek floods since 2004 . In 2004, the total area of Surat city was around 112 square km. In 2006, the delimitation process was carried out and new areas added to the SMC limit. Due to increased urbanisation, many projects have come up and the flow of the Mithi and Bhedwad creeks were affected. The water-carrying capacity was limited but due to agricultural fields, the water entered deep into the fields and some water entered the creek. But after delimitation, agricultural fields turned into concrete jungles and the water of excess rain, instead of percolating, feeds the creeks through natural drains.”Also read | ‘Lost my 2 sons’: 21 dead in Surat floods, police say toll likely to riseAccording to historical records, the year 1988 saw heavy rainfall of 388 mm recorded in Bardoli and Palsana talukas in Surat district. Water entered agricultural fields directly and some flowed into natural drains. Due to increased urbanisation, this year marked the first time in the century that Surat has witnessed heavy rainfall. During the current monsoon season, the command area of Mithi Creek (Palsana, Bardoli, Limbayat) received heavy rainfall going up to 450 mm on July 7. Mithi Creek enters Surat city through the Saniya Hemad area, which falls within the Varachha Zone, and that area received 507 mm of rainfall that day leading the creek to burst. After two hours of rainfall, the water level in the Mithi creek exceeded the danger level of 9.35 metres flowing up to 9.50 metres, which officials say was “unprecedented”.Panel to study creek floodsLast year, after a flood situation cropped up in the Limbayat area on the banks of Mithi Creek on June 22, a high power committee was formed comprising the District Collector, SMC, SUDA and Irrigation Department officials, to determine the reason behind the floods. The Central Water Commission (CWC) authorities were told to develop a comprehensive study taking into account rainfall data of 100 years and prepare a report on the water-carrying capacity and modeling of the Mithi Creek. The study was directed by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, a three-term Lok Sabha MP from Navsari constituency which includes the Udhna and Limbayat areas, impacted by creek floods. The panel was to study the entire catchment area and downstream to the Mindhola River and Arabian Sea.Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil told The Indian Express, “The presence of a large number of shrimp ponds leading to bottleneck situation on the banks of Mindola river meeting Arabian Sea, near Khajod and Dream City, has resulted in creek floods in Surat. The seamless flow of creek water gets affected due to such bottlenecks. Similarly, in Gandevi taluka of Navsari district, there are several shrimp ponds, which are also responsible as obstructions to the flow of river water into the sea. This has caused human casualties and loss of household items and damage to houses to individuals staying in Gandevi taluka. Large numbers of poor and middle-class are affected by creek floods in Surat city and Gandevi.” He added, “I had a talk with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday and told him to get such unauthorised shrimp ponds removed on the banks, so that seamless flow of water can be maintained which can prevent floods. I also told him to make arrangements for some water ponds nearby the creeks in Kamrej, Palsana, Bardoli (in Surat) on government land so that water flow in the creeks can be maintained and even the rainwater harvesting structure should be made in such areas in the city, which will also prevent creek floods in Surat that happens every monsoon. The creeks should also have higher carrying capacity, with more depth and width.