Day 86

One thing that almost everyone (who hav worked out here for flood relief) would have witnessed is the humility, courage & benignity of the flood victims. These are remarkable social qualities, and they are consistent & unfaltering even in the midst of daunting conditions which has prevailed here for almost three months now.

Even a small insignificant help is greeted by a warm smile and genuine gratitude. If we have nothing to offer or we have exhausted our supplies..the disappointment is never overtly made obvious or rude; just a smile, a nod or sometimes a slightly sarcastic take on their own luck.

They just want to go on with life, and hope that things get better. Resigned to fate maybe, but most of them have accepted this and they blame no one for this.

When you sit to talk with them, they narrate their flood stories with acuity, slowly a crowd starts to gather around, they open up & then everyone has something to say.

Out of nowhere someone brings you tea, they talk about the problems they have and how they deal with it , about other victims in difficult to reach villages, about politicians and NGO's who have helped them,

And about the bleak future that awaits them.

When we ask them about their requirements, its always the women who are encouraged to speak first; the men are just happy with what they have. The men are more practical in their demands; medicines for cattle,anti fungal crème (for ringworm or "dinai"), torch.. stuff like that.

When we tell them we have jeans pants for them..they blush.. they actually blush like children & generally nominate the oldest person around for jeans outfit. Women, with pallu of sari generally tucked between their teeth giggle and nudge each other. They have fun.

When we gave them woolen clothes for small children, they were very happy. Just a small woolen cap or a scarf per family, and they are happy.

Then we asked them whether they needed blankets. They were silent, all of them.

Maybe they dint believe that they can actually get blankets. It's almost a luxury to even think about that.

Well, we have procured 240 blankets today and it's going to them. It feels good.

It will be slightly difficult to take around 500 blankets and distribute them; it will take at least two trips on the boat. We have talked to Sarpanch, Amarnath Ji, he has been helping us a lot in the areas within Murligunj thana, Jorgama & Kumarkhand. We will be staying in Rahata overnight and hope to do the distribution in two days.

We would to thank Mr.Prashant Pandey, who took the initiative, asked us what we needed and committed funds for 200 blankets. Lot of thanks to Anubha Prasad & Kumar Gautam for helping us buy woolen clothes for children and to Dr. Arvind.G , (3^rd stage,6^th main, Gokulam, Mysore) & his colleagues for sending us six cartons of clothes and medicines.

God bless you all.

Thanks & regards

`chandan

+919931763070

Updates

A fleeting moment of anxiety, perhaps hope; amidst a lifetime of poverty,fear & despondency.                                                                                                                    

I truly hoped that I will be able to give you some good news on flood relief , but not yet... a lot has to be done, specially as villages which were cut off till now have become accessible.


We are working in two areas, both on the same route; Rahata which is 20 KM away from Parwa embankment ( Madhepura) and Harijan tola, which is 10 KM from Rahata.

Since the last report, ITBP personnel have left the area as water level has receded and now one can reach Rahata by road . Although, its still difficult to take a four wheeler there , but carts and bikes can traverse up to Rahata.

We have distributed around 2500 cleaned & packed clothes, 80 KG biscuits, 1200 packets of cerelac,
Medicines, lactogen, chlorine tablets,soluble iodine ointments and 300 woolen caps in this panchayat.
The distribution is being helped by the Sarpanch of the village and that has made relief distribution easy and effective in this area.

We are taking clothes, woolen caps, blankets, cerelac & food grains tomorrow to be distributed at Harijan tola, which is 10 KM from Rahata, but still surrounded by water. The boat has to be changed at two places, and one has to cover around 5 km on foot to reach there. We are assured of help from Rahata sarpanch in form of boat and people to carry the materials' to Harijan tola.

We will be moving to Pratapgunj from there on Wednesday, carrying medicine & biscuits to villages which have been connected somehow by AMURT volunteers.

As the water level is receding, more and more villages are getting connected ; hence people who were taking shelter in relief camps are going back to villages. Occupancy in mega camps is slowly getting down, and in some cases, its only the most poor ,the unfortunate ones who are at these shelters. They have no place to go and nothing as their own.

These flood victims, who have lost everything ( of whatever little they had) are totally dependent on relief camps to survive. They are in shelters provided by our government, fed by our government, medically helped by our government….they are the poorest of the poor; they cant protest, they dont have the energy or will to oppose or choose an alternative shelter.. and they cant keep changing places from one camp to another,they are just too weak for that.

The flood relief administrators had made a commitment to run these camps till the conditions become normal,and I hope they will be doing that, come what may.

There is no clarity on the number of camps closed till date;and people fear that some more camps will be shut down . The apparent reason is that camp occupancy has become less and the people who are in the camp are very few.

Initially these mega camps were occupied by large number of people who were evacuated during the flood.As water started receding, people who could afford boat fare or who had relatives come down to take them back.. started going back to villages by boats, more followed later when water receded fully. In a way, people who could afford physical movement or fiscal incentives to get back to their villages have gone back.Its only the weak, poor and sick victims who cant make it back to their villages, or who don't have a address now in the camps.

There is no doubt about the magnitude and spread of this disaster..and any government would struggle to keep up with increasing demands; but after about three months into relief work, one would expect a more professional and focused effort from the agencies.

The other concern is regarding the status of repair at Kusaha.

It is imperative that the breach be plugged before snow starts melting in Himalayas and Kosi discharge picks up. It is a daunting task..but it has to be done.

If, for some reason, the repair work is not complete before Kosi discharge increases… it will be really bad. All the work that's being done now for rehab and reconstruction of the area will be washed away. The impact on population residing inside Kosi will be disastrous.

We hope that mother nature does not play any more tricks, and that the critical repair work is carried out within the specified time.

Anubha Ji & Kumar Gautam; Thanks so much for sending in funds, We procured woolens from 35K you sent us. A part of it is distributed in Ramganj & Rahata panchayat (Kumarkhund).
We would need more woolens & medecines .


The cattle in these areas are in very bad shape; we have been providing vaccines & deworming medicines to for them from our limited funds,..but they need much more than that. If any of you know of people/organizations who want to provide medicines/ vetenary help for these areas, please share their contact.


~chandan
+919931763070

We would like to thank Mr. Manoj for joining our flood relief work at ground zero level. Thanks a lot Manoj Bhai...

Updates

Yesterday, woolen & regular clothes, medicines, water purification tablets,
veterinary vaccines (HS & BQ) & medicines and packaged food were sent to Jadia & Lakshminia
panchayat in Murligunj.

We have procured woolen caps,woolen mufflers and ear corers for 1500 children, apart fromlots of woolen clothes collected at Patna & from the clothes sent to us from our donors. The ground situation out here was difficult for about 10 days due to statewide agitations in retaliation for some unwanted political brinkmanship

Hopefully, good sense prevails and things become normal soon.
Thanks a lot to Anubha Ji who has funded the purchase of woolen clothes for small children; most of these clothes will be sent to Raahata and harijan tola in kumarkhand.

We plan to provide woolen clothes for small children to all the infants & small children up to 8-10 years of age to all the 2300 families who are residing at Harijan tola- Rahata cluster of villages.

Motor boat service had been disrupted for some time and we hope that they start soon. At places, one has to carry relief material for up to 10 km. Local villagers and paid porters are helping us.. but its taking more time.

We had a tough time coming back from Nepal after roads In Bihar were blocked due to agitation. But that gave us a chance to spend time near Nepal border (Inarwa) and we saw the Himalayan mountain range early morning. It was one beautiful experience...we were about 150KM south of Himalayan range and quite surprised that we could see the mountain range.

It was white capped horizon much above the cloud line...and it turned to orange glow just before sunrise.
Sometimes I wonder at this irony...beautiful, pure sky almost angelic sunrise...at the start of the day....and pain, suffering and choked feelings at sundown. Heaven and hell in span of a day..same place..same people..but so much change.

I would like to thank all of you for sustained help for such a long period, its amazing how humanity transcends time and tribe. Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful people of Maharastra, who have helped us right through this effort. Your help has been exemplary. God bless you all.

I hope and pray that in these trying times, people who celebrate 'Chath' festival are allowed to do so, where ever they are India.

Preparations are on for 'Chath' festival in and around the troubled waters of Kosi, and for a change, things look festive and positive... that feels great.

Would also like to thank AMURT volunteers who have been helping us in really difficult terrain and conditions.


In the last week, we have received -

*Babyfood & Cloriwat tablets from Sri. Raj Sachdev, Geekay Enterprises, Mumbai.

*INR 25000 from Anubha Ji, Delhi, for purchase of woolen clothes for children.

`chandan

+919931763070

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We took help from ITBP men to carry relief material to Rahatha village,Kumarkhand, as this embankment was the last motorable point. We left Parwa embankment with relief materials for rahata village, Kumarkhand .The distance was around 15 KM & has to be covered by motor boats. ITBP were kind enough to help us with two motor boats & crew.. Also traveling with us were two Doctors who were headed for Kumarkhand.

~chandan
+919931763070

Kumarkhand;Flood relief