DADU, Dec 21: A bustling trade centre, even after the lapse of more than five months, wears a look of an island because of eight feet deep flood water swarming around in a radius of seven kilometres.

The floodwater has created problems in Faridabad, a small town of Kachho area in Mehar taluka for its population of 4,000 people and another 20,000 plus people of 11 surrounding villages who turn up to this town daily for household purchases.

All, including boatmen to green and dry grocers have increased rates of travelling and commodities, said Faiz Mohammad Kolachi, resident of village Wali Mohammad Rind. Onion, he said, was available at Rs150 per kg, potato Rs170 per kg, Ghee Rs200 per kg and sugar at Rs160 per kg.

Authorities refurbished the two-kilometre long road from Chhandan Bridge for vehicular traffic enabling people displaced by floods to return through this route to Faridabad but after crossing the surrounding water on boats.

Though, Faridabad and Johi were secured by their residents who constructed an 18 feet high ring bund around their towns. However, half of its population moved out to Kotri, Hyderabad and Karachi and the remaining people were stuck there when flood hit the area on August 25, last.

The raging water washed away around 100 shops outside the bund, besides flooding a higher secondary school and a 132KV grid station.

The villages still surrounded by floodwater are Allah Dino Tevano, Chhuto Mirani, Dribh, Haithain Akh Khadhai, Mathain Akh Kadhai, Seelra, Aliwal, Charo, Bhambha Deero, Wali Mohammad Rind and Ali Bux Tevano.Residents of village Allah Dino Tevano Khaskheli, located 2km in the north of Faridabad, are still using boats to reach to the town for purchasing vegetables and other food items.

A resident of village Allah Dino Tevano, Hafiz Ali Gohar Khaskheli lamenting the delay in rebuilding of road leading to Faridabad, said that he paid Rs100 to the boatmen to reach here. He appealed to the authorities to save poor villagers from fleecing by rebuilding the road as soon as possible.

However, boatmen have their own reasons for overcharging as one of them Mashooq Bughio said that they were forced to charge Rs100 per person because of the high coast of petrol at Rs120 per litre.

A former nazim of Union Council Faridabad, Abdul Ghaffar Dero criticised the government for not getting the floodwater drained out which would prevent growers from cultivating crops for a year.

The process of education is stalled as the only three schools of the town, a higher secondary and two primary one for girls and the other for boys are yet to reopen. Now it's the responsibility of the Education Department to shift flood affected families from these schools.

The deluge damaged the structure of higher secondary school while half of its courtyard had also collapsed with a foot deep water still standing on its two sides.

The building of 132KV gird station too, was damaged by floods. An employee of gird station, Imtiaz Ali Jatoi said that officials of gird station restored power supply and senior officials know the condition of the building.

However, life goes on despite heavy odds and resilient residents of Faridabad have begun rebuilding their houses and shops despite high cost of construction material.