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THE CURSE OF KOSI

Update on flood situation from Saharsa

Current flood situation in Bihar has badly affected the northern parts of Bihar. Districts like Supaul, Areria, Madhipura, Saharsa, and Purnia, kathihar and Bhagalpur are the worst affected districts during this flood. The current flood situation occurred due to the breach of embankment in Kosi River at Kusaha Dam. According to primary estimation of government approximately 2.5 - 3 million of people are currently affected by the present flood. The current flood situation is declared as national disaster due to the intensity of its destruction. Few villages in Madhipura and some other districts are still totally inundated with huge number of people were trapped in different areas. Accessibility to these villages is limited. Air dropping of food and relief materials in these areas is still in full swing.

By seeing its nature, this current flood can be called as a man made disaster, rather than a natural disaster. Due to lack of precautionary measures authorities couldn’t prevent the breach of embankment in the Kosi River. Sudden rush of water to the villages washed away most of the villages and thousand of lives. Even the relief measures from the side of government are not adequate to meet the need of the people. It is said that in most of the places relief measures have gone to the hands of rich and strong before reaching the hands of most affected. Still there are people trapped in different villages in Madhepura and Supaul. The life lines to these villages are totally cut of from the main land. Army personnel are still trying to evacuate people from these villages to the best of their might. Now 35 boats are deployed in the place of 13 boats to hasten the evacuation process. But still it is not speedy as expected. In some places people are not ready to come out of their villages due to the fear of loosing their possessions and cattle’s. Moreover the evacuation team is yet to reach more remote areas. There were cases of theft and looting in the affected villages too is reported.

Communities in action

Whenever a disaster strikes we often could see the communities get in to the action first. People’s strength and involvement in helping neighbours to cop with the situation is seen here too. The communities got into the action before government or any agencies reached them. Prominent persons in the communities put up camps and started community kitchens to help the affected people much before the government could reach. These people played greater role than government to help the affected ones. In most of the village, people took shelters on top of some concrete buildings in their villages and community cooking is initiated in those areas.

Intervention of Catholic Church

Jan Vikas Samiti (JVS) with the support of Caritas India, initiated flood relief measures in Saharsa district. Caritas India is planning to provide relief material for 54,000 affected families in the northern Bihar. Out of these 12,000 families will be covered in Saharsa and Madhepura. Planning process is almost complete with regard to relief measures. Dry food for more than 650 families has already reached in the centre, from Patna. Along with the food materials medical camps are also planned, which would start by Saturday in the most affected areas. Medical team from Patna will be reaching today to Saharsa.
Moreover JVS ensured the Coordination of different agencies during this relief phase. JVS is partnering with BDVS in relief activities and is also building better understanding with organizations like CASA, UNICEF and LWS to avoid duplication in the relief materials. At present JVS is taking up two relief camps in Madhepura block and Muraliganj block in Madhepura district which consist 17 Panchayats each and 94 villages with the total population of 149,667 and 141,093 each.

Volunteers from different parts of Saharsa and Madhepura reached in JVS centre to help out in the relief operations. The volunteers were short-listed through interview and an orientation programme for the volunteers was conducted. According to the need of the situation they were divided into four team and team leaders were appointed.

Government is setting up relief camps in different affected areas and handing over to different agencies to take care of. The two camps Caritas India along with JVS taking over is -

• Camp in Madhepura TP college– (3000 - 5000 people are expected to be in this camp).
• Camp in Madhepura Bus station – (5000 – 7000 people are expected to be in this camps).

In these camps dry food will be distributed in the morning and evening and prepared food will be served during noon.
In the immediate relief programme we are planning to:

• Set up of relief camps
• Provide food and safe drinking water
• Provide clothing
• Look after and ensure health and hygiene, sanitation
• Maintain law and order of the camps

Bihar Dalit Vikas Samiti (BDVS) is another partner in Saharsa district. BDVS is planning to distribute relief materials for 7500 families in Saharsa district. The initial data of 4500 families are already collected and the rest of the data of affected families will be collected with in day or two. BDVS is covering the most affected villages in Saharsa district that are Sone, Barsaraj, Saur Bazaar, Patharghat, Salakaua. Survey of the areas and distribution of cards are in process. At present volunteers from BDVS are visiting the areas to identify the deserving families.

BDVS’s relief kit contains the materials like:

Beaten rice (chooda) - 20kg
Horse gram (channa) - 5kg
Jagri - 5kg
Horse gram powder - 10kg
Ground nuts - 2.5kg
Salt - 1pac

Reaching out the needy as early as possible is most important from the perspective of Caritas India. At present, all the partners here are doing almost everything possible to reach the affected people and villages as early as possible but the inundated villages and marooned people are the biggest problem we are facing till now. It may take few more days to water to comedown further. Hope with in shot span of time we could reach out all the people in dire need.

Stalin. S
Communication officer
Caritas India.

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