REPORT OF ASHA CANADA FUNDED FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT
SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF FLOOD IN NIRMALI BLOCK OF SUPAUL DISTRICT OF NORTH BIHAR
1. BASIC INFORMATION
v PROJECT TITLE : Emergency relief for flood affected people in Nirmali block of Supaul district in North Bihar
v Project Duration: 23rd September to 7th November 2014
v Donor Agency: ASHA CANADA
v Implementing Agency: Gyan Sewa Bharti Sansthan, Supaul, Bihar, India
2. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Boon becomes bane when greed enters in to it. In the name of development, indiscriminate use of natural resources and competition to acquire more wealth exerts more pressure on the natural and its ecosystem. In consequence, irregularity in climatic conditions and natural calamities take place and the causes are attributed to and ingrained in human action. Any development actions beyond the carrying capacity of nature are unsustainable and it fraught with dangerous consequence likes disasters.
In fact Bihar has the highest rural population in India, as well as the lowest rural incomes in the country. Over 50 percent of the population live below the poverty line. Bihar is also one of the most flood-prone states in India. According to recent estimates by the World Commission on Dams, 56.5 percent of India’s flood-affected people are from Bihar. Three quarters of them live in North Bihar. In north Bihar some 8 lakh hectare of land is waterlogged and that amounts to 14% of total land in Bihar.
North Bihar contains eight major river basins, all of which drain into the Ganga (Ganges) river. During the monsoon season (approximately June to August) these tributaries flood large tracts of land. This happens regularly every year. The intensity and duration of flooding can vary, but large numbers of villages are consistently affected, and their populations forced to evacuate to higher land.
The undertaken village is tropical of North Bihar. Village is characterized by yearly foods, high levels of poverty due to a lack of employment opportunities, very limited infrastructure (poor communication channels, no public transport, limited schooling) and a strong caste structure. In fact a feudal-like system is in operation whereby the majority of lower-caste villagers live on land belonging to higher-caste landowners, in return for working in their lands.
Flooding in rural areas increased significantly following the building of embankments to protect towns from the floods in 1975-76. The severity of flooding increased again when the embankment heights were increased in 1987. As a result, even if rains are light in Bihar, there could still be flooding. Finally the development of raised roads without adequate culverts has had the effect of trapping floodwaters and preventing run-off, creating stagnant pools that waterlog the area.
Ironically, when the floods arrive, villagers have to move to embankments, the only high ground in the neighbourhood, often suffering loss of life, livestock and other possessions. Village ‘kutcha’ homes (bamboo and mud walls with thatched or tiled roofs) are destroyed, and families are forced to live in temporary tarpaulin shelters on the embankments for two to four months of flooding. Disease is common, and people are particularly prone to suffering skin ailments on the feet due to constant exposure to water. There is no cooking fuel and employment is scarce. Women are particularly vulnerable as they have no sanitation facilities on the embankment and are often left with the children as the men travel to find work. Children are unable to attend school and in fact, the state government often closes schools during the flood period, resulting in state-wide education losses.
While the government provides emergency assistance, this is inadequate. Supplies are limited and not always usable – for example, rice may be provided but villagers have no cooking fuel. When people return to their villages, they often find that low-lying water pumps have become blocked by silt and debris requiring repair.
2.1 SITUATION ANALYSIS:-
A landslide that occurred in Nepal on 2nd Aug 2014 led to creation of an artificial dam on river Bhote a tributary of river Kosi resulting in accumulation of large amount of water triggering possibility of flood that could affect Northern parts of Bihar. Nepal government has removed the hurdle that has been formed in river Bhote as it would bring flood in Nepal. After the blast where Central water commission has estimated discharge of 14 lakh cusecs of water but the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has informed National Disaster Management Authority about likely 25 lakh cusecs of water .The water will hit the Kosi barrage in 12 hours which has capacity of sustaining only 8 lakh cusecs of water. The Flood occurred would affect population of 1.5 lakh in eight districts of Bihar with 50,000 alone in Supaul. About 380 villages are under threat of this flood. The water level might reach upto11 meters looking at the accumulation in the artificial dam formed due to landslide. Even if flood is not that furious but the water released from Nepal will cross through these 380 villages situated around river kosi affecting about 12 lakhs of people. Though Government is on its toes to meet the deadly consequences but a lot needs to be done as yet. About 15000 people have been evacuated so far and placed at different relief camps but what of rest…?.
Supaul is situated 310 Km from Patna and district boundary touches the Nepal. The district is surrounded by north Nepal, South Saharsha, East Araria and West Madhubani district. The sorrow river of Bihar Koshi arises from Himalayas and passes through Nepal enters in north part of district flow through middle divide in two parts and enter in Saharsha district.
Koshi River is known as change of flow. Before the construction of embankments on Kosi; every year changed in flow observed as a result of which there are presence of chaur in district, which starts from south part of Basantpur and passing through south east & enters into Madhepura district. Other chaur area starts from south west and enters into West Raghopur, Kisunpur and West Supaul enters in Saharsha district. That is reason the part of land which is located on west and east is depressed and those located in south and north is comparatively high.
CLIMATIC CONDITION
This district boundary touches Nepal; so there is great affect on environment due to nearest of Himalayas. During the summer season the temperature observed very high. As temperature goes up the humidity in environment decrease, so dry hot observed during the summer season. Rainy season starts from middle June and continue till Middle September. The average rain fall found 140 mm to 160 mm and highest rainfall observed 200 mm.
IRRIGATION
Before construction of embankment on Kosi, this area affected by severely water logged, which affect badly on land and agriculture practices. Due to water logging problem the soil become saline and it has decreased fertility of land. To drain out water from Chaur area, the work had been carried out in first phase of Kosi plan, which continue till 1986. But due to fault in technical plan and reluctant of government officers, the work had not been carried out effectively in second phase of Kosi plan and canal which was made for the drainage of Chaur become silted and it create great problem compare to previous.
DEMOGRAPHY
The Supaul district came in existence on 14th March 1991 by the bifurcation from Saharsha district. There is four sub division and 11 blocks. The district is densely populated; population density is 735 square Km, which is higher than national and state population density. The sex ratio is 1000:920. The urban population constitutes 19% of total population. The population of schedule caste is 15.6% while schedule tribes are 0.31% of total population.
District / Total / Population / PopulationOf children / Number of literacy
Total / Male / Female / Total / Male / Female
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11
Supaul / Total / 1745069 / 908855 / 836214 / 364701 / 189821 / 174880 / 521755 / 382752 / 139003
Rural / 1657175 / 862101 / 795074 / 349604 / 181773 / 167831 / 478171 / 354875 / 123296
Urban / 87894 / 46754 / 41140 / 15097 / 8048 / 7049 / 43584 / 27877 / 15707
AGRICULTURE PATTERN
Sr. No. / TYPE / LAND USE PRACTICE SIZE IN HECTARE01 / Below 1.00 Hectare / 77.744
02 / Between 01 to 02 Hectare / 19.699
03 / Above 02 Hectare / 2205
Two third part of total cultivable land is below than one hectare. 1/5th part of total cultivable land come between 01 to 02 hectare and remaining part more than two hectare. Approx. 16776.01 Acre land is water logged. Barren land which could be made cultivable land is approx. 6617.50 Acre. Land used for the irrigation purpose is 7000.00 Acre and land used for the agriculture purpose is 6279.50 Acre. Due to water logging problem biggest area of land is not being utilized for the agriculture purpose and those land which is used for the agriculture purpose, farmers hardly take one crop due to flood problem. The agriculture activities not seem to be beneficial to the farmers as the production is not sufficient to feed a family through out year. Though there is ample scope of agriculture practice by using early and water resistance varieties of crops. Promotion of cash crops could also be beneficial for the farmers as they can get highest return from their crop.
2.2 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT:-
A landslide that occurred in Nepal on 2nd Aug 2014 led to creation of an artificial dam on river Bhote a tributary of river Kosi resulting in accumulation of large amount of water triggering possibility of flood that could affect Northern parts of Bihar. Nepal government has removed the hurdle that has been formed in river Bhote as it would bring flood in Nepal. After the blast where Central water commission has estimated discharge of 14 lakh cusecs of water but the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has informed National Disaster Management Authority about likely 25 lakh cusecs of water .The water will hit the Kosi barrage in 12 hours which has capacity of sustaining only 8 lakh cusecs of water. The Flood occured would affect population of 1.5 lakh in eight districts of Bihar with 50,000 alone in Supaul. About 380 villages are under threat of this flood. The water level might reach upto11 meters looking at the accumulation in the artificial dam formed due to landslide. Even if flood is not that furious but the water released from Nepal will cross through these 380 villages situated around river kosi affecting about 12 lakhs of people. Though Government is on its toes to meet the deadly consequences but a lot needs to be done as yet. About 15000 people have been evacuated so far and placed at different relief camps but what of rest…?.
3. PLANNED OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Overall goal: Providing emergency relief services to the flood affected people of 1200 people (300 Households) in Nirmali block of Supaul district.
3.1 Objectives:
· Food and non-food arrangements for the flood victims.
· Medical camps and provide of medicines among the flood victims
· To provide Tarpaulin sheets to the flood victims
· To provide chlorine tablets to ensure safe drinking water to the flood victims
· To disinfect the unhygienic area by the use of bleaching powder.
· To provide fodder for the livestock survival
3.2 Activities:
1. Distribution of food and non-food items among the flood victims
2. Organized medical camps for the flood victims and distribution of medicines among the people
3. Distribution of Tarpaulin sheets among the flood victims
4. Awareness among community how to use chlorine tablets to avoid water borne communicable diseases
5. Distribution of mosquito net among the affected households
6. Distribution of fodders for the survival of livestock’s
7. Distribution of chlorine tablets to ensure safe drinking water among flood victims
8. Spreading of bleaching powder in disinfected area to avoid spreading of communicable diseases
3.3 Area: Nirmali block of Supaul district covered Kamalpur Panchayat & two villages namely as Kamalpur and Haripur
3.4 Coverage: We covered 1200 people (300 Households)
4. PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
4.1 Beneficiaries assessment
In Kamalpur and Haripur, the number of household is 953. The children of the households, who had studied earlier at our NFE centers and became enrolled in government schools in higher class to continue their study and presently the children is getting education at NFE centers, all those households covered under the project. We do assessment based on means of livelihood of the households and extent of suffer due to flood. In this way, we assessed 300 households.
4.2 Beneficiaries selection
Selection of the beneficiaries has been done mainly in the meetings and with the help of opinion leaders. Since, both rich and poor affected by the flood, priority had been given to Schedule Caste, below poverty line group and those who has not got support from any other institutions. In the open meeting at a conspicuous place, the list was prepared where people cooperated and volunteers. Addition and deletion of the beneficiaries were decided in the meetings through their representatives and opinion leaders.
4.3 Procurement, Delivery, Storage and Transportation of Relief Materials
4.3.1. Procurement Phase
In order to maintain transparency and quality assurance, procurement committee has formed of five members. However, a quorum of three is a must for these activities. The procurement committee decided to purchase the food and non-food items based on the quality and price of the items.