Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Bihar Flood Relief : Update from Ground Zero

Email from Chandan :

Team is leaving for Trivenigunj around 9 pm.We have with us around 2000 biscuit packets, cerelac and baby food, food grains and clothes for women and children. Guneshwar is buying slates, notebook, pen/pencil/eraser, course books for (CBSE) children upto class 3.

I 'll be arranging for books for higher classes.Guneshwar has brought a water testing kit ( Jal-Tara,Delhi), 100 collection units, 3 crate essential medicines, from Gujrat. If somebody can find a baby milk powder supplier from Amul who can deliver it to trivenigunj. That would be best for us.
Team is not carrying any milk powder tonight, as we dont have any space left in our vehicle.

I'll be in touch... thanks so much guys for holding on...its the strength of the team that inspires us to go in deep down and distribute stuff to people who really need them. We are touching places about 20 km below (India) the area where the embankments gave away...its still horrible..
I guess as the water level goes down, the scale and stench of this tragedy becomes more apparent.
It has to be a sustained effort to make even a bit of difference.

Thanks & Regards,
Chandan
+919931763070
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Situation of New Kosi Route

Kosi had broken into three tributaries near naugachia... and as today's satellite picture shows...only one stream of about 400-1000mt wide is alive and discharging straight into Ganges. It may be good because it means inflow and drainage of water through this rouge route of Kosi is getting less but it may be bad too, as more pools of stagnated water with rotting organic matter are exposes to aerobic conditions.
Disclaimer: We are not claiming any thing, Its just a prediction that has been published from flood relief operations point of view.



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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Amidst unmentionable conditions...children want to study .

Developments for the day..

Guneshwar and team, after spending the night at space and comfort provided by kind patrons of Mandan Bharti Jagriti Samaj Saharsa,at Trivenigunj, left for Daparkhar embankment where 100's of family are taking shelter.

They are living in makeshift half shelters,open to nature. Sky above, Kosi below

The team distributed clothes, made sure milk was prepared and given to the children, use of chlorine was demonstrated,and chlorine distributed along the stretch.

They made a list of children, things they need, food they get, problems they have.

What was heartening through all the misery and "real" flood situation, was that.. there was a girl student who was teaching the children there.

Fifteen KM from nowhere, their home .. a stretch of embankment kilometers long, under the unrelenting sun or cascading sky, surrounded by Kosi river...this girl teaches kids.

So, you see.. all is not lost. There is hope...and there will be life in the remotest of places...just because of presence of small dedicated people who excel in distress.

The team left the embankment at around 3.00-4.00pm and are nearing Saharsa now...they should be Patna by early morning

At the Baidhnathpur govt camp, a teacher asked what will happen to the children who have to appear for the board exams next year. Their school is being used as a make shift relief camp, and it will take time for all camp to be shifted into mega camps..and hardly any students come to the schools as of now. So, although they are teaching in these camps, they would like to start classes at their regular schools asap.

Lets hope that none of the students who have registered for Board exams, are denied this opportunity. I am sure our government and education department are capable of dealing with this huge responsibility.

This is one thing that shines bright throughout the places we have been...right in the heart of kosi..the importance of education, and the continuation of the same amidst unmentionable conditions.

In bachhon ke aaknon me paani hai, chehre pe tez` hai..pata hi nahi chalta ki ye is traasadi ke beech hain.. its a wonder...and no wonder Bihar has excelled in education amidst poverty.

Next year, when these kids appear for their exams..it will be an answer to a very difficult and painful question mother nature asked them.
'Do you have it in you...can you swim through..can you be successful ?'

The answer will be a resounding "YES".

And tell you what, they will not be swimming towards shelter...they will be sprinting towards victory!

Touchwood !
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Received Items from Capgemini, Pune and Kolkata


Today we received following material from Capgemini, Pune and Capgemini, Kolkata. These items are labeled and packed separately, which is a great help for us. We will save time on sorting and repacking. Thanks to all involved for their generous help, without your help it would not have been possible to carry out the relief operations.

Capgemini Kolkata - 5 boxes (sent by Mr Biplab Haldar, Consultant, IFM, Capgemini)

Capgemini
ASYST park, plot - GN37/1, sector V
Salt lake, Kolkata - 91

Containing following items:

Pants,Shirts, Tshirt,Salwar ,Salwar pant ,Dupatta,Saree,Bedsheet ,Sweater,Blanket,Childrens' pant,Children shirt,Towel,Shoes,Biscuit ,Chura,Sattu & Amul milk


Capgemini`~ Pune -

33 boxes ( Cleanly segregated & labeled)

Clothes - 10 box ;Food grains - 5 box,Biscuits - 6 box,Bedsheets - 12 box


Thanks a ton to all our donors. God Bless you all.

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Monday, September 15, 2008

Baidnathpur relief camp, Saharsa.

Baidnathpur relief camp, Saharsa.

Its a largish camp with around 200 shelters.
We have distributed 480 odd garments which was with us. Food is provided by the Govt, and NGO's are not allowed to cook food or provide cooked food to the beneficiaries.

Milk powder is needed here, we have distributed around 46 kg of milk powder (along with the Aanganwadi volunteer and Camp caretaker), reckon we need more.

Lack of clothes here..most of the children here need clothes...they hardly hav any.

The teachers are holding classes for the school here since 7-8th sep. They hav some books for lower classes, but need stationary and books for higher classes.

Govt health workers have been maintaining the handpumps, providing potable water. Chlorine /Halogen tables are available here.

We are trying to get the list of students/age group to supply them with books/stationary.

They also need some kind of recreational activity, so trying to arrange for football/volleyball etc.

Things needed; Clothes,books,dietary supplements,...and more milk powder.

~Guneshwar/Srikanth
Baidnathpur,Saharsa. 1.30pm,sep152k9

PS: We will be sending the required materials by tonight. Also, would request someone from 'Goonj' to help these children with clothes, if possible. You can send clothes directly to our team in Patna from nearby city. As transportaion is taking too much time and cost so please post consignment from nearby city.

chandan

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