32 years on, survivors still recovering from Latur earthquake; activists say rehab work not yet over

Latur, Sep 29 (PTI) Thirty-two long years may have passed since a devastating earthquake struck Latur district in central Maharashtra, but for many survivors and their families, the memories and scars left behind by the tragedy remain raw.

Survivors continue to battle unresolved issues, exposing administrative neglect and unfulfilled promises.

A temblor of 6.4 magnitude rocked the Latur-Osmanabad (now Dharashiv) region on September 30, 1993, killing more than 8,000 people and injuring over 16,000. The epicentre of the earthquake was near Killari village in Latur district.

The powerful earthquake devastated nearly 52 villages, requiring extensive rehabilitation efforts.

For many survivors, the memories remain raw.

"I still remember that night when my mother and two sisters were killed. I was in the village temple while my father was in the fields," recalled Satish Manale, a resident of Mangrul village in Latur district.

Amar Birajdar, president of the Bhukampgrast Kruti Samiti Latur-Dharashiv, an action committee of earthquake-affected people, and a resident of Mangrul was 14 at the time.

"That night, seven of my cousins were killed, while my parents were seriously injured. Even today, our struggle continues," he told PTI.

Birajdar said 694 people were killed in Mangrul village alone.

The then-Chief Minister Sharad Pawar earned praise for his swift rehabilitation measures. Damaged roads, schools and houses were rebuilt, yet several crucial problems remain unresolved.

According to Birajdar, one of the major pending issues was that rehabilitated villages have not been classified as 'gaothan' settlements.

In many cases, 7/12 extracts, a crucial land record document, still mention 'Government Acquisition-Government of Maharashtra', meaning land ownership has not been transferred to gram panchayats. Names of original owners remain on documents, allowing them to apply for crop insurance instead of those resettled on the land by the government, he explained.

Notably, gaothan settlements refer to the state government-planned settlements established for resident of villages that were destroyed or severely damaged by the earthquake. Under the mechanism, the government acquired land and built homes for the quake-displaced people.

Families live in these homes without legal ownership. Village boundaries of acquired lands were never measured properly and 1,200-2,000 houses built for victims remain undistributed, said Birajdar.

"People in these areas frequently suffer from earthquakes, floods, and recurring droughts. The government must declare these areas as disaster-affected zones," he stressed. PTI COR RSY