Gujarat Floods 2005: Project Report

Transcription

1 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN VALUES AND ART OF LIVING Gujarat Floods 2005: Project Report The International Association for Human Values 21 st Km, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore South Karnataka Phone:

2 GUJARAT FLOODS AND RELIEF MANAGEMENT A BRIEF- Heavy monsoon floods in India's western Gujarat state left at least 131 people dead just one week after the floods in June 2005, according to figures from the state flood response center and more than 65,000 people homeless. More than 7,200 villages had been inundated and some 176,000 people left homeless by monsoon floods in India s western Gujarat state, where a dead lion washed up with dozens of other casualties, officials and news reports said. The situation in the state was reported to be critical in the districts of Vadodara, Kheda and Anand in other parts of the state, flood waters had started receding and life is slowly getting back to normal. The affected Districts were: Surat, Valsad, Navsari, Bharuch, Vadodara, Surendranagar, Dangs, Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot, Narmada, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar and Sabarkantha. The total number of taluka affected was 117 with 8000 villages. However a day after the floods, severely affected districts increased to include Vadodara, Anand and Kheda and 2000 villages. The cities that experienced severe inundation conditions are Vadodara, Nadiad, Ahmedabad, Navsari, Surat and Limbdi, Dakor, Anand, Kheda, Petlad, Borsad. The rivers reported to be flowing above danger levels were Vishwamitri ( Vadodara District,) Shedhi and Vatrak ( Kheda district). In Bharuch district Vagra, Amod, Jambusar Talukas had been heavily affected. Due to topography and poor drainage of rain water, the rain water had changed its course and flooded the villages affecting the roads, power supply other lifeline infrastructures. The small rivulets such as Bhuki Khadi in Amod and Jambusar flowing from Vododara had over flown inundating roads and villages. Districts affected due to Flood and Inundation is 20. Districts Severely affected: 10, namely; Valsad, Navsari, Bharuch, Surat, Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Amreli, and Surendranagar. Talukas : 117 Villages : 10, 000 Cities : 11 There was wide spread rainfall in Valsad, Surat, Navsari, Dangs. The average rainfall of the state is 619 mm 69%. Presently, the average rainfall in percentage received in affected cities of Vadodara 125%, Nadiad76%, Ahmedabad 71%, Navsari 105%, Surat 87% and Limbdi 107%, Anand 113%, Kheda 97%, Petlad 122%, Borsad 147%. The army had been deployed to assist rescue and relief operations. Schools and colleges had been closed in some parts of the state. Soldiers were assisting police and civilian rescue workers in the area, while air force helicopters took part in rescue missions and food drops. The BBC correspondent said that floods in Gujarat had badly hit rail and road transport in many parts of the state. One of the world s 359 remaining Asiatic lions was found drowned on Friday near Gujarat s Droneshwar dam, down river from its home in the Gir wildlife sanctuary, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

3 IAHV INTERVENTION IAHV-Art of Living SEVA Teams swung into action to provide immediate relief on the very next day to the affected people. Out of the 219 centers of Gujarat, relief work started in more than 70 percent of the centers. IAHV-Art of Living was there to provide material and trauma relief. AHMEDABAD CENTRE On 2 nd July, the food packets were made at Surekhaben s house and were delivered to the army camp; from there they delivered it to the affected areas. On 3 rd July, the work started in full swing and in large amounts at the Manekbaug hall in Ahemdabad 400 food packets were made and delivered by a team of volunteers to villages named Sokhda, Paru and some areas on the outskirts of Kheda District. In Sokhda village, about 300 houses had collapsed and people were without food and water for last three days, when the Art of Living Seva Team reached there. On 3 rd July, the Gujarat Chief Minister organized a meeting with the leading Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including IAHV-Art of living. In the meeting, he designated the IAHV-Art of Living Ahemdabad Seva Team as the caretaker for the Dholka Taluka of Ahemdabad District. The first team left on 4 th July with Prakashbhai and Pragneshbhai and 2 doctors for survey and distribution of food packets, water pouches and medical help to Dholka Taluka.

4 Below is the table summarizing the Ahmedabad Relief efforts. Sl.no DISTRIC T TALUK A VILLAGE RAW MATERIAL DISTRIBUTED Cost in rupees NO. OF VOLUNTEER S NO. OF PEOPLE HELPE D REMARKS 1. Ahmeda bad Dholka Utelia 300 food packets, 500 kits,1000 water pouches 90, ,000 Help given when entire village was in water and even govt. help had not reached. 2. Motiboru 70 kits, 500 pouches 11, tents on road and people were living in it. Relief given to these people. 3. Nani Boruu 50 kits 9, Not very badly help given only to the needy. 4. Varna 50 kits, 2000 pouches, medical camp and medicines 5. Vataman 50 kits, 200 pouches 15, , , People living in tents outside the village helped 6. Jakhda 100 kits, 17, Saragwad a 300fod packets, 1000 water pouches 7, ,000 We first reached the place even before the govt. 8. Hingoli 400 food packets 9. virdi 400 food packets, 200 biscuits 7, People in this village after 7 days which was food we distributed 10, People ate after 7 days the food which we distributed

5 10. bholad 500 food packets, 1000 pouches,100 kits 11. Samni 300 pouches and food packets 12. Vanol Medical camps, general medicines, calcium carbonate 1/2 truck, chlorine tables 22, ,000 People were helped from outside as village was waterlogged 5, , people were rescued by boat and 2 pregnant ladies were given check up 13. Dalosar Danosur Same as above 10, Primary first aid given 14. Shiyavala Same as above 10, pregnant ladies attended to their delivery and medical checkup given 15. Shingala 300 food packets 5, Water logged and mosquito infested 16. Bhukri 150 kits 24, Rampura 100 kits and 300water pouches 18. Ghumali 200 kits, medicines 17, People are waiting for other raw materials 32, ,000 Same as above 19. Loliya 300 kits 47, ,500 Same as above 20. Vautha 100 kits 16, Same as above 21. Virpur Medicines 10, Same as above 23. Kesargha d Medicines 10, Same as above

6 SITUATION IN DHOLKA TALUKA There are more than 80 villages in the Dholka Taluka and the rains had affected most of them. When the Art of Living Seva Team reached on 4 th July, the water had accumulated and it was not possible to enter the villages. As a result we had to request the local Government body to provide us jeeps and in some villages where even jeeps could not enter, we went in tractors. Some villages were still having 3-4 feet waters and electricity in almost all of the villages had been disconnected. People were devoid of food, water and other basic necessities for about a week. Houses on the outskirts of villages were badly affected and people were left homeless. Ganol Village, which was on the riverbanks, was completely destroyed and our SEVA team eye witnessed a rescue operation where the army saved all the 199 villagers through boats. To our surprise the villagers were surviving till three days on the trees and were without food and water. Our medical team did the health check up of all the rescued villagers. In another village, Uteliya, almost all houses were destroyed and all the villagers were taking shelter in a concrete house, which was, the only one in the village. The villagers had lost all their cattle, with many of them dead and the rest missing. It is notable that in all the places where our Team went, we were the first to visit them with the government officials accompanying us. The medical team had also reached at all the places, being the first ones to reach the site. Our documentary shows footage where our team was delivering food packets hand to hand while the government was providing food packets through the helicopter. List of villages where our Seva team reached. NAME OF THE VILLAGE DISTANCE FROM DHOLKA SIYAWADA GADOL VALTHERA GANOSAR INGOLI VIRDI SHINGLA BHURKHI UTELIYA SAMANI BHOLAD SARAGWALA 20 km 20 km 25 km 15 km 20 km 23 km 40 km 42 km 40 km 45 km 43 km 40 km

7 SIMEJ NANI BORU MOTI BORU VATAMAN VARNA 15 km 42 km 40 km 25 km 30 km On 4 th and 5 th July, our Seva team delivered food packets, water pouches, medical kits, etc. in the various villages of Dholka. Our medical team reviewed the various villages where it distributed chlorine tablets, basic medicines and also did health checkups of all the villagers. Most of them were suffering from the common ailments like fever, diarrhea, eye and skin irritation. What was notable was that due to GURU GRACE, all our actions were effective and we were the first to reach at every place and that too without any trouble of any kind. From 6 th July onwards, the water had started receding. We concentrated on providing raw food material kits. The kits consisted of wheat flour(5 kgs), rice(3 kgs.), tuver dal(2 kgs), salt, candles, match boxes and spices. Medicines were also sent. Here is a summary of materials distributed: NAME OF COMMODITY QUANTITY DISTRIBUTED FOOD PACKETS( PURI AND PICKLE) CHAVANU PACKETS 1000 WATER POUCHES BISCUIT PACKETS 500 CALCIUM CARBONATE (FOR SPRAYING PURPOSE) 2 TRUCKS RAW FOOD MATERIAL KITS 2500

8 SOUTH GUJARAT- SURAT AND BARODA Vadodara suffered from flooding of water, with 6 feet high water everywhere. In spite of all the odds, the Seva team in Baroda started relief work on the same day. They provided food to 1500 people on a daily basis and they served to the people of 5 of the most affected villages of Padra Taluka namely Sadad, Virpur, Kikiyara Math, Chikariya Mubarak and Sihor. They distributed around 3500 water pouches, food packets, 760 kitchen kits (donated by Sabarkantha Chapter),350 food packets (donated by Godhra). Surat suffered from a very similar situation with water seeping into almost all the houses. The IAHV-AOL Seva team distributed food packets, food packets handed over to Vadodara Chapter, food packets distributed to nearby affected villages namely Sachin, Oan, Kharvasa, Kumbharia & Parvat and 1500 food packets distributed in Karjan and Palej. Three teams of doctors with volunteers visited Dholka and conducted medical camps for the victims of the flooding. SURAT 2006 In August 2006, the city of Surat, Gujarat again experienced severe flooding, claiming the lives of hundreds and affecting thousands more. Water levels were as high as 22 feet in some parts of the city, causing an estimated economic loss in excess of US$500 million. More than 1,500 volunteers of the Art of Living-IAHV provided drinking water, food, medicines and other essentials. Several medical camps were conducted throughout the city, providing aid to more than 11,000 people. The Art of Living-IAHV also worked with the Surat Municipal Corporation to urgently clean up flood-affected areas and prevent any outbreak of disease. Subsequently, they moved into the second phase of relief work by conducting trauma relief programs. The volunteers worked closely with local government officials, the army, other NGOs and service organizations, to extend assistance to the affected, including people trapped in remote areas. At these times of need, IAHV-Art of Living volunteers came together in support of their family, friends and fellow beings who suffered from the floods. Working endlessly day and night, the volunteers made a significant difference in the lives of many.

9

10