REPORT : The north-east Indian state of Bihar has seen the country's worst floods in 50 years. Over two million people have been displaced and 250 000 homes have been destroyed after the Kosi River burst a dam in neighbouring Nepal in August.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
More help needed in Bihar
The Indian government is under pressure to provide more help for the flood victims in the state of Bihar.
Bihar flood victims fight for survival
The people who are rendered homeless in Bihar flood, are now facing a bigger challenge-that of survival. The state government has set up many refugee camps but given the scale of this disaster, that is not enough. A makeshift relief camp at Sursar in Araria is a symbol of hope for families who have lost everything in the flood. They huddle together for some warmth and normalcy.
Bihar flood: Relief work in shambles
India as well as the world has seen many images of Bihar's tragedy. Many of them want to help. But Amitabh Bachchan, blogging from Paris, sums up a major problem. This food riot on Monday was triggered by frustration and anger. There's a lot of confusion on the ground because many like the military, state and Central government officials have overlapping tasks and duties at times.
ASHA's Plans for Bihar flood relief work. (www.ashanet.org)
ASHA's Plans for Bihar flood relief work.
How decision was made:
1) 9/1/08 Asha-projects and Asha-coordination groups invited to a
conference call to discuss need and fundraising methods for Bihar
flood relief. Preliminary proposals and available funds and
fundraising plans were discussed.
2) 9/3//08 - Conference call open to all volunteers on asha-projects
and asha-coordionation.
Agreement among the ten attendees at the conference call that unused
Tsunami funds can be used for Bihar Flood Relief with a ARC tactical
vote. Decisions and minutes of discussions posted on asha lists.
3) 9/4/08 - 9/6/08 - ARC proposal submitted to ARC committee with
request to consider delegating the decision to an executive decision
on the ARC proposal pending ratification by the chapters in following
weeks (ARC process allows for this ).
5) 9/6/08 Deadline for comments on ARC proposal to use tsunami funds
for Bihar flood relief and the current proposals for work from the two
teams
6) Receive 'best estimate' plan for expenses to be incurred for the
funds allocated by Asha for Education and Asha Trust.
Follow-up procedures planned:
- Updates from Bihar teams collected by involved stewards and
volunteers and posted on a blog three to four times a week (let us
know if someone can help maintain the blog). Pictures and videos will
also be requested.
- Share information on urgent needs of other groups conducting relief
work in Bihar and short term and long term strategies followed by them
(Multiple teams of AID India, BGVS, Medha's team, Government efforts,
RTI Fellows in Bihar working to check corruption in government relief
efforts etc). About 8 of our RTI Fellows have already begun applying
for information on expenses by government under RTI Act which has to
be supplied in 48 hours in case of emergency. Government has
sufficient funds and is under some pressure where RTI fellows are
active.
Next steps:
9/14/08 - Receive detailed long term needs assessment and work plan, if any
9/15/08 - Conference call to discuss the rehabilitation needs and plan
9/18/08 - Decision on the Asha's rehabilitation work and on use of
general funds emergency component (10% of general funds available to
the group) pending decision on 'Genenral funds' ARC proposal (three
options have 10% allocated to emergency funds). Decision on appeal
issued to donors for funds for rehabilitation work may also be
appropriate at this time.
Volunteers from Asha for Education committed in follow-up: Manisha
Joshi, Pawan Agarwal, Maheshwar Lal, Sirish Agarwal. More volunteers
needed to observe approaches of groups other than Asha and seek a long
term solution for flood problem.
Asha Trust people committed for carrying out the work and for updates
by phone (and email when possible): Vivek Umrao (working with multiple
teams in the field), Manoj Kumar (Supaul villages), Vallabh pandey
Current Resources:
1) Comprehensive Portal: http://www.indiawaterportal.org/bihar/
(maintained by Asha Bangalore volunteer Vijay Krishna)
2) Asha Varanasi site: www.ashanet.org/varanasi
3) Video on how children are affected by Floods (highly recommended
for general educational purpose on how AFE can work with the poorest
children and families):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8277716610293246126&ei=9ADDSIj-KpSyrgKe8OG5BQ&q=bihar+floods&hl=en
4) Work by AID India - http://biharflood2008.blogspot.com/
Do send any comments with suggestions for improvement.
Thanks,
Sirish
( sirish.in@gmail.com )
How decision was made:
1) 9/1/08 Asha-projects and Asha-coordination groups invited to a
conference call to discuss need and fundraising methods for Bihar
flood relief. Preliminary proposals and available funds and
fundraising plans were discussed.
2) 9/3//08 - Conference call open to all volunteers on asha-projects
and asha-coordionation.
Agreement among the ten attendees at the conference call that unused
Tsunami funds can be used for Bihar Flood Relief with a ARC tactical
vote. Decisions and minutes of discussions posted on asha lists.
3) 9/4/08 - 9/6/08 - ARC proposal submitted to ARC committee with
request to consider delegating the decision to an executive decision
on the ARC proposal pending ratification by the chapters in following
weeks (ARC process allows for this ).
5) 9/6/08 Deadline for comments on ARC proposal to use tsunami funds
for Bihar flood relief and the current proposals for work from the two
teams
6) Receive 'best estimate' plan for expenses to be incurred for the
funds allocated by Asha for Education and Asha Trust.
Follow-up procedures planned:
- Updates from Bihar teams collected by involved stewards and
volunteers and posted on a blog three to four times a week (let us
know if someone can help maintain the blog). Pictures and videos will
also be requested.
- Share information on urgent needs of other groups conducting relief
work in Bihar and short term and long term strategies followed by them
(Multiple teams of AID India, BGVS, Medha's team, Government efforts,
RTI Fellows in Bihar working to check corruption in government relief
efforts etc). About 8 of our RTI Fellows have already begun applying
for information on expenses by government under RTI Act which has to
be supplied in 48 hours in case of emergency. Government has
sufficient funds and is under some pressure where RTI fellows are
active.
Next steps:
9/14/08 - Receive detailed long term needs assessment and work plan, if any
9/15/08 - Conference call to discuss the rehabilitation needs and plan
9/18/08 - Decision on the Asha's rehabilitation work and on use of
general funds emergency component (10% of general funds available to
the group) pending decision on 'Genenral funds' ARC proposal (three
options have 10% allocated to emergency funds). Decision on appeal
issued to donors for funds for rehabilitation work may also be
appropriate at this time.
Volunteers from Asha for Education committed in follow-up: Manisha
Joshi, Pawan Agarwal, Maheshwar Lal, Sirish Agarwal. More volunteers
needed to observe approaches of groups other than Asha and seek a long
term solution for flood problem.
Asha Trust people committed for carrying out the work and for updates
by phone (and email when possible): Vivek Umrao (working with multiple
teams in the field), Manoj Kumar (Supaul villages), Vallabh pandey
Current Resources:
1) Comprehensive Portal: http://www.indiawaterportal.
(maintained by Asha Bangalore volunteer Vijay Krishna)
2) Asha Varanasi site: www.ashanet.org/varanasi
3) Video on how children are affected by Floods (highly recommended
for general educational purpose on how AFE can work with the poorest
children and families):
http://video.google.com/
4) Work by AID India - http://biharflood2008.
Do send any comments with suggestions for improvement.
Thanks,
Sirish
( sirish.in@gmail.com )
Millions Displaced By Floods in Bihar
Three million people have been displaced and at least 90 killed by the
flooding, which occurred after the Kosi river burst a dam in neighbouring
Nepal and changed its course, swamping hundreds...
flooding, which occurred after the Kosi river burst a dam in neighbouring
Nepal and changed its course, swamping hundreds...
Completely Missing Villages of Madhepura and Supaul within one or two hours of Flood
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Respected Friends,
Respected Friends,
I am writing down names of the villages (GRAM-PANCHAYATs) of average population of 10,000 people or more per village. These villages are completely missing.
These villages were ruined within one or two hours of flood, no body could get a moment to think.
In newspapers, electronic media and administrative statements there are very less number of deaths.
In Madhepura and Supaul districts many villages did not get chance to think because Flood attacked with high speed and immediately; districts as Araria, Katihar, Khagaria, Saharsa got Flood gradually thus people could get chance to escape.
Still government helicopters and hi-fi NGOs are working in District Head-Quarters; no one of them is going in inner areas. Half a million people (500,000) are still in interior Flood till now.
Local people are guessing that about 10,000 people will die in coming days in Madhepura District only.
The completely missing villages are about 20- (names can be wrong because it was difficult to understand in phone from Madhepura and number of missing villages are much more)-
Birpur, Diwanganj, Givatpur, Khoti-Belha, Balwa, Chhatapur, Goriyani, Chunnipur, Piluaha and many other villages.
These are 9 villages. Average 10,000 population. These 9 villages had about 90,000 population.
Can we guess the number of death in this disaster? Can we?
More updates will be sent soon.
Love
vivek
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