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Tsunami- Relief and Restoring Livelihoods & Habitats DHAN Foundation Initiatives - Update 15
The fourth update was on the policy initiatives of DHAN Foundation. This update summarises the field study reports of students of Tata-Dhan Academy. The Academy is an institution for Development Management, which is the result of a unique partnership between DHAN Foundation and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai. The Academy is a new theme of DHAN Foundation, which aims at becoming a center of excellence in Development Management. It grooms young graduates as Development Professionals. Fieldwork assignment is a part of the Development Management Education, where the students undertake intensive field assignments. The 5th batch of the Academy undertook six different studies in the Tsunami affected areas during the period of 18th January 2005 to 23rd February 2005.
Abstract of the Field study reports: I - Effect of Tsunami on families of Pudukuppam village of Kollidam block in Nagapattinam district:
The objective of the fieldwork was to understand the “Effect of Tsunami on vulnerable segment of the community in Pudukuppam village” which is one of the severely affected villages. The fieldwork was conducted in the Seerkali and Kollidam blocks. Observation, focus group discussions and Interview questionnaires were used to gather information from primary sources, whereas secondary data were collected from Agricultural Department Office, Block Development Office, Panchayat and Schools. It was found out that the fishing assets have been severely damaged due to Tsunami. More than the fishing assets it is the loss of loved one’s which has aggravated the pathetic situation, which cannot be compensated. People are still scared that the Tsunami may come at anytime and affect them. The Psychological impact is high on the people.
Damages by Tsunami
Caste and Class discrimination were prevalent in this village but Tsunami certainly has changed all the caste equation. People became more cohesive after the disaster. The Tsunami has made both the big fisherman and laborers to live on one economic status. More than 60 Government/NGOs/Pvt. Institutions have already distributed relief materials. Almost everyday people from different organizations come here for distributing relief materials, providing counseling or conducting study for long-term projects or to cater their basic needs. The Soul of Service (SOS) & Central Institute of Knowledge and System (CIKS) have provided temporary shelters for the villagers.
There is a felt change in the lifestyle of the youth. They do not want to go for work; they even refused the offer given by organisations under cash for work programme.
Apart from fishing, agriculture sector is also severely affected. However, this sector is neglected due to fewer casualties in agriculture villages. The seawater flowed over the fields, not only destroyed the standing crops but the stagnation of seawater has affected the fertility of the soil apart from sand/clay deposit.
II - Impact Of
Tsunami On Fishing And Agriculture In Coastal Villages Of Karaikal
Region The objective of the fieldwork was to understand the impact of tsunami on fishing and agriculture sector. The fieldwork was conducted in the three villages namely Pattinamcherry, Killinjalmedu and Keezayur for a period of 37 days. Open ended interview, observation, focus group discussions were used to gather information from primary sources, where secondary data were collected from published and unpublished documents. The tsunami has severely damaged the fishing assets like Cattamarns, Fiberboats and Launch boats. The Engines have been severely damaged due to the entry of seawater. More than the fishing assets it is the loss of kith and kin, which has aggravated the pathetic situation of the fishing community, which can be never compensated for. The tsunami has made both the big fisherman and labourers live on relief materials. The affected fishing communities were demanding immediate restoration of their livelihood; at the same it was observed that several NGOs had been making attempts to repair the fishing assets of the affected fishermen.
The tsunami has also affected the coastal agriculture severely the standing crops were lost; as a result the investment, the expected yield and the employment opportunity it would have generated during harvest have also been lost. And a possibility of a 2nd crop also has been lost. Further the fertility of the soil is also drastically affected due to sand, clay deposit, and salinisation of soil.
III- Assessment Of Damages On Housing And Infrastructure Caused By Tsunami And Restoration
The objective of the study was to assess the damages caused by Tsunami on housing and infrastructure in Pudupattinam village of Thirukalukundrum block in Kanchipuram district. The study was conducted for 37 days.
Damage on Housing
Source: survey Infrastructure damage.
The data collection is done from primary as well as secondary sources. The primary methods applied are observation, focused group discussion, interview, and survey to collect data. The secondary sources are government offices and informal interview with some officers.
The total damage caused by tsunami is this village is estimated to be around Rs.2,46,52,500/- . An attempt was done to come out with a cost analysis to construct a new village and It comes around Rs.3,28,45,000/-.
Government and NGO’s have provided temporary shelters to the people and have planned to provide the permanent houses in near future. While planning for construction of houses Government has to ensure community participation. There is a high potential for Self Help Group formation in the village and these groups can undertake the housing and infrastructure development works.
IV - Study about Civil Society initiatives and the implication of Coastal Regulation zone act (CRZ) in Kanyakumari (Tamilnadu) and in Quilo (Kerala)
The team under took a study about civil society initiatives and the implication of coastal regulation zone act (CRZ) in kanyakumai and Quilon.
The team visited several affected villages in Kanyakumari and quilon for relief works. The methods applied for the study were observation, focus group discussions and informal interviews. The information gathered speaks about the implications of CRZ Act on people and their livelihoods, role played by civil societies in disaster management in Kanyakumari and Quilon.
The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) came into existence on February 19, 1991, with the gazeting of the notification by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) under Sec. 3(1) and Sec. 3(2)(v) of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and Rule 5(3)(d) of the Environment Protection Rules, 1986.
Activities Prohibited in the CRZ
Civil Society Initiatives in Alappad Churches, institutions like Quilon Social Service Society (QSSS), Dheevara Karayogam, Kerala fishermen relief forum, local youth and communities are involved in the tsunami relief and rehabilitation initiatives in Alappad. Their initiatives include;
Implication Of CRZ Act In Alappad The team came with the finding that if CRZ is to be implemented there the people from the entire island should have to be lifted. The major problem is that people wants the same environment in case of their rehabilitation i.e. near to the seashore itself. So perfect planning and strategy creation is very much needed in implementing the Act. Even though they are rehabilitated it should be with all infrastructural facilities such as availability and accessibility to transport and communication system, proximity to the market etc.
The first thing the people want is their rights in fishing in the backwater as the fishermen there go to backwaters for fishing in the lean seasons and in monsoon time. Thus there is a balance in sea and backwater fishing. Even though the backwaters are open to anyone there is a strong informal law among the fishermen communities in alappad that the backwater fish resources bordering the island of alappad is for them only. This will be a challenge to the government for making a special rule when actually the backwaters are open to all.
The study team came with a conclusion that the implementing of CRZ Act is not as simple as that in the paper or as the theorist may say. If it is going to be implemented, the consequences of it will be fatal. The logic of safety of people and environment is clear in CRZ Act but the sentiments and the needs of the people is always much stronger than the logic of rules which has to be intimated to the government of our country.
V - Assessment of Damages caused by Tsunami on Agriculture and Livestock in Vilunthamavady village of Keelayur block in Nagapattinam District
This study brings to light the damages caused to both agriculture and livestock in the village in the light of the loss of standing crops and loss of livestock in monetary terms.
Seawater has entered into the fields in the village to the extent of around 600-700 meters. Due to this salinity content in the fields has increased in the soil. There are small farm ponds in each field. The seawater in Village filled around 274 ponds. These farm ponds are source for irrigation and for domestic purpose.
In this coastal area there are exit channels, which carry excess water from the fields to sea. After Tsunami these channels are silted with sand and clay. When the water entered into the fields to the extent of 700 meters, the sand being heavier particle deposited far from the sea. Clay being less density particle deposited near the seashore. As agricultural experts say deposition of sand and clay fluctuates very much from field to field. This sand cast deposition varies from 2.5 cms far from the sea to 13.5 cms near the seashore. According to experts wherever there is sand deposition is 1 inch or more than that there is a need to remove the top layer. If the deposition is less the top layer need not be removed.
Due to Tsunami around 260 acres of land has been affected in the village. Immediately after the Tsunami coconut and cashew nut started drying up. After 15-20 days they started to recover from drying up. Since there is no effect on coconut and cashew nut till now, we cannot calculate the loss of coconut trees. Standing crops like, paddy and groundnut have died. Paddy crops were in harvesting stage, whereas groundnuts were just sown and were about 10-15 days.
Since boats and nets are being replaced free of cost, villagers are expecting that they will get compensation for crop loss and land reclamation at free of cost. While calculating loss of crops two things were taken to consideration ie, Input cost and Opportunity cost. 75.35 acres of paddy land and 22.97 acres of groundnut land was destroyed by the Tsunami. The landless labors are also indirectly affected. Being destroyed by Tsunami. The paddy was at the harvesting stage.
There is heavy loss of livestock in the village. Here livestocks are the alternate livelihood for landless labors, and almost every family has livestocks. Since the harvesting of 1 acre paddy needs 14 labours. It has affected the employment opportunity of landless labour, which could have been provided by the farmers. Now the farmers are unable to provide employment to landless labours. Most of the farmers are reluctant to remove saltwater from their ponds, thinking that Government will come for their rescue. But if the water will be stored in the ponds for long time it is going to worsen the situation.
Here the landless labourers used to cultivate vegetables in their landowners field during the third season. Now these people have lost this opportunity.
The compensation needs to be given to the farmers’ who have lost the crops. The compensation should be on the basis of the input cost on standing crops or otherwise the input cost and opportunity cost of the crop. The landless laborers should be provided with cash for work program and free ration for few months till they recover from the situation. The cash for work programme can help them to buy livestocks.
VI - A Study On Relief Measures Undertaken In Cuddalore District
The objectives of the study were to, understand the kind of relief works undertaken in disaster, to understand the needs of community during calamities, and to learn about different plan and approaches to relief work adopted by various agencies.
Cuddalore is the second most affected district in Tamilnadu. Out of 14 blocks of Cuddalore district, three blocks namely Cuddalore, Kurungipadi and Parangipettai blocks are worst hit which comprises of 51 villages. Approximately 57.5km of coastal line of Cuddalore is ruined.
Many affected villages and NGOs working for relief work were approached for the study. The methods applied during data collection were observation, discussion and informal interviews. The data collected speak more about the approaches of different agencies working for relief, restoration and rehabilitation and it also gave a picture of the affected community responses on the relief work done. Thus priority to food, shelter, and medicine was given by every agencies but restoration and rehabilitation of livelihood and infrastructure remains a big question. It seems that assessment for restoration rehabilitation by government and NGOs are still in process.
Assessment of Damages were done on the following categories
Relief Measures Undertaken By Various Agencies
Government:
Medical Aid Medical camps, medical services to prevent outbreak of epidemics, clearing of debris and providing water supply are some of the medical initiatives.
Distribution of
relief package After a week of tsunami, Government disbursed 4000pakage (4000 cash, one dhoti, one sari, two bed sheets, .60kg of rice, three liters of kerosene) and 2000 package( 2000/- cash, and similar items as 4000 package) . As to government data, 4000 package has been distributed to 11,859 who directly affected and 2000 package was distributed to 8,220 who are indirectly affected by tsunami. And one lakh compensation was distributed to 628 families who have lost their near and dear ones. Government has also identified orphans due to tsunami, and has set up a different home for them. Special care is given to 21 orphans in the orphanage. A compensation of 5 lakhs has been deposited in the name of each child who lost their both parents, the money can withdrawn till child attains the age of 18 with concern, presence and signature of chief district welfare officer and the child , and his relatives .
Shelters Government has also built temporary shelters for the affected population. The materials used for shelter are tin sheets (for roofing), cement sheets (for walls), Wood (used as Poles) .All the temporary shelters are built 500 meters away from the seashore.
Restoration of
Livelihood Special care has taken to ensure that the fishermen get back to their vocation at earliest the army engineers and CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) have assisted many fishermen in repairing the boats. Three teams from Ashok Leyland Group have undertaken engine repairing in tsunami-affected villages. Major NGO’s in Relief initiatives;
Activities of
NGO’s in nutshell
Identification
of beneficiaries The beneficiaries were identified by a number of ways by the NGO’s
All the work done towards the help of disaster-affected people seems to be equal. People who are engaged in the normal day-to-day life donate some amount and think their due is over. Obviously it is not possible for everyone to rush to the disaster area and help in person and at the same time, one can’t deny the importance of money but our observation says relief work is different from charity.
The study also attempted to get a holistic view of disaster and also understood how vulnerable people are in the hour of calamity. The people who carry out relief work have to take care of lots of factors such as time span, rigor to response, taking out survivors putting them in relief camps, proper need assessment etc. The very focus should be on issue that number of death should not increase after the calamity than the deaths, which happened during it. There are many key players involved in the process right from downward level i.e. community to upward level i.e. government. Civil societies such as NGOs, institutions, individuals also play their role effectively. However every aspect had also darker side, some agencies try to push their hidden programs in the name of relief work. Some do it just for media hype with out little consideration of community, whatever the drawbacks are the relief work on the whole should aim towards upliftment of the affected community. Various agencies should coordinate and try to complement rather than competing with each other. |
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