Jammu & Kashmir Floods 2014- How Best to Help- A Strategy Paper for Rescue, Relief and Rehabilitation - Prepared by Mazher Hussain, COVA, Hyderabad , India Abstract Gravity of the Present Situation and Challenges of Winter in a Month’s Time It is a super calamity already declared as a National Disaster by the Prime Minister of India. Nearly 5 million people are affected (4.5 million in Kashmir and 0.5 million in Jammu region), hundreds are dead, 5 lakhs were marooned without access to drinking water, food or essential medicines. About 2 lakhs could be rescued and brought to safe places after 8 days. Though relief material in the form of food, medicines, clothes etc has started coming in from all over the country, there is no mechanism to coordinate proper distribution of relief as of now. Hundreds of houses are washed away or collapsed and many of those that remain may not be safe for habitation. Estimate is that over 2 lakh people may not have and may not be able to afford any shelter, bedding and clothes for the sever winter that will set in a month and snow fall that is expected in two months. A focused strategy for Winter Provisioning is required else thousands will die of cold. Requirements: 1. Evolve a coordination mechanism involving Government, Civil Society Organisations, Donor Agencies and Local Communities for optimal sourcing of required Relief along with efficient and equitable distribution. 2. Generous donation of relief from across the country and announcement of free rations for six months for all affected by the Government of J&K will ensure that in the next 10 to 12 days, people will have the basic necessities like food, water, medicines etc. 3. The Real Challenge will be Provisioning for Winter as it sets in by mid October and snow will start by November and over 2 lakh people will not have any house or bedding or warm clothes to face sub zero temperatures. What can stand between life and death for over 2 lakh people will be tin sheds for temporary shelters, bedding sets with razai / sleeping bags, warm clothes and a Bhukari (a local device for heating using coal / fire wood). 4. All this will cost about Rs. 60 thousand for a family of 5 (Tin Shed with Toilet Rs. 45,000, Bedding / sleeping bags for five members {@ Rs. 1800 x 5} Rs. 9,000, bukhari Rs.1500 warm clothes Rs 4500 approximately. 5. Government should be prevailed upon to release Rs. 50,000 as interim relief (as was done after the earthquake of 2005) for all those who have lost their houses for construction of Tin Sheds. Corporates, civil society, donor agencies etc should consider avoiding the use of all their resources for relief material only and conserve for adopting families to provide bedding, warm clothes and bukharis costing between 10 to 15 thousand per family and that may be required by at least 2 lakh people, especially in poorer quarters of Srinagar and rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir affected by the floods. 6. It is necessary to reorient rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts being undertaken by different organisations and agencies to priorities rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir and not just focus on Srinagar as the impact of floods, levels of poverty and deprivation are more acute there. 7. Issues for Advocacy 1. Formation of a Coordination Committee 2. Distribution of free rations by the state government within 15 days. 3. Ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs for all those killed and up to Rs. 2 lakhs for all those injured to be released within two months. 4. Building Grant of Rs. 5 Lakhs for all houses destroyed and up to 3 lakhs for those damaged. 5. Immediate release of interim relief of Rs. 40,000 from the Building Grant for those whose houses are destroyed for construction of Temporary Shelters. 6. Waiver of all state and central taxes and duties on all construction material 7. Immediate sanction of loans up to 15,000 under DRI (Differential Rate of Interest) scheme for those below poverty line and loans up to 10 crores under MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) scheme. 8. Secure contributions from the CSR budgets of all PSUs and corporate bodies. Gravity of the Present Situation and Challenges of Winter in a Month’s Time It is a super calamity already declared as a National Disaster by the Prime Minister of India. The unprecedented scale of damage and destruction in the State makes it impossible for limited governmental and non governmental agencies to address the crises. The immediate and unavoidable need is for all agencies and governments- international, national, states, corporates, organisations and groups to come forward to contribute and collaborate to ensure immediate rescue operations, efficient and adequate relief distribution and proper rehabilitation of the thousands affected in all aspects and in the shortest possible time. 1. Nearly 5 million people are affected (4.5 million in Kashmir and 0.5 million in Jammu region). Over 500 people are confirmed dead by 15th September. The count may rise much more when bodies are found after the water recedes. Over 500,000 people were marooned with up to 20 feet water mostly in Srinagar and surrounding areas. 200,000 were evacuated till 15th September and rest-around 300,000 people are still trapped without drinking water, food, medicines and other essentials. 2. Waterborne and other diseases have started and are likely to spread fast when most hospitals and medical facilities are totally submerged. 3. Many people trapped in the houses (with good construction and multi-stories) are unwilling to leave their homes for fear of robberies that normally occur during such situations. There will also be the problem of finding proper shelter once they are evacuated. Though they are safe, they need food and drinking water immediately and badly. 4. Hundreds of houses- mostly of the poor with sub standard construction quality- are washed away or collapsed. Even those with houses still intact have lost their winter clothes and bedding after one to two stories submerged under water. Winter will set in from Mid- October (hardly a month from now) and snow fall could be any time from end November. If the affected people- especially the poor in rural areas that may number around at least 200,000- are not provided some shelter with appropriate bedding and winter clothes latest by end of October, most will die of cold within a month. Rescue and Relief Operations: Hope and Gaps 1. Local people from all surrounding areas have started rescue and relief operations in a big way. Indian army, air force and National Disaster Management Force are also engaged round the clock in rescue operations. 2. People and organisations all across India and other parts of the world are coming alive to the calamity and have started responding by donations in cash and kind. 3. It is reported that the Government of Jammu & Kashmir has announced provision of free rations to all affected for six months through the Public Distribution System (as was done for three months after the earthquake in October 2005). 4. In about 3 to 4 days, relief material in huge quantities mostly comprising of food material, clothes and some medicines is likely to reach Jammu & Kashmir. The challenge then will not be that of paucity of material but of coordination and ensuring that there is no abundance of supplies in some areas (especially in urban pockets along main streets and highways) and all affected people are reached. 5. This can be done easily by evolving a coordination and distribution mechanism involving the government, armed forces (during rescue and relief phase), civil society organisations and the communities. But for this we will have to start preparing right away. 6. Though hundreds of organisations from all over will be swarming the affected areas with the much needed relief material, most of them will finish their engagement in a month or so and will go back. Very few will remain to face and provide for the challenges of winter and when the more difficult and demanding phase of rehabilitation will start in a month’s time. 7. When the State Government has already announced free rations to all the affected for six months, it may be advisable to provide food provisions to people for their requirements for only about two weeks (till the government system will be in place for free distribution) and all resources conserved to prepare and provide for the demands of winter in the valley that will set in a month. If required, strong advocacy campaigns should be mounted on the government to ensure that it provides the promised free rations within two weeks. 8. Due to a variety of reasons, Srinagar is in the focus of general attention and many surrounding rural areas and areas of Jammu where about 5 lakh people are also affected are not receiving critical aid and may also suffer in the coming days. It s necessary to also focus in these areas and assign dedicated teams and resources to ensure that the poor and people in distant and remote areas are also serviced adequately. Provisioning for Winter: 1. Unlike other places, disasters in Kashmir require provisioning not just for rations and medicines but also for immediate shelter along with bedding and warm clothes. 2. Most concerned individuals and organisations responding to disaster situations mostly stop with rations and some clothes. Hardly any organisations and groups will think of or have the wherewithal to also consider the more expensive requirements for winter preparedness. 3. It is extremely important that in the current situation in Kashmir, all organisations, especially the larger ones, should hold as many of their resources as possible for the most basic winter requirements. What can stand between life and death for over 2 lakh people will be tin sheds for temporary shelters, bedding sets with razai, warm clothes and a Bhukari (a local device for heating using coal / fire wood). 4. All this will cost about Rs. 60 thousand for a family of 5 (Tin Shed with Toilet as temporary shelter Rs. 45,000, Bedding / sleeping bags for five members {@ Rs. 1800 x 5} Rs. 9,000, bukhari Rs.1500 warm clothes Rs 4500 approximately. 5. Government should be prevailed upon to release Rs. 50,000 as interim relief (as was done after the earthquake of 2005) for all those who have lost their houses for construction of Tin Sheds. 6. Corporates, civil society, donor agencies etc should consider avoiding the use of all their resources for relief material only and conserve for adopting families to provide bedding, warm clothes and bukharis costing between 10 to 15 thousand per family and that may be required by at least 2 lakh people, especially in poorer quarters of Srinagar and rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir affected by the floods. 7. These Temporary Shelters may come handy for 4 to 5 years. After the earth quake in October 2005, COVA motivated and facilitated about 6000 families in Uri and Tangdar Tehsils of Kashmir to construct tin sheds (mostly from material salvaged from their collapsed houses) to face the onslaught of the coming winter and it was found that most poor were unable to construct their houses immediately and some stayed in the tin sheds and survived winters for 3 to 4 years before they could construct proper houses. 8. It is very possible that the basic winter requirements listed above will have to be provided to at least 200,000 people (about 40,000 poor families who will not be able to provide anything for themselves)- and all within two months. This would require a minimum provisioning of at least 250 crores just for temporary basic minimum winter provisioning for the poorest in the affected areas. Impact on Livelihoods 1. Water had reached up to 20 ft. height and houses, shops, factories and other business establishments in most of Srinagar and other affected areas are submerge up to at least the first floor and thereby damaging all stocks and assets. 2. Restarting their businesses, especially for hawkers, petty businessmen, traders and small entrepreneur will be an impossible task without access to fresh and easy credit. 3. With every small business affected, at least 4 to5 jobs and the very survival of 20 to 25 persons will be at stake. Requirements, Responses and Further Actions Needed 1. The Government of Jammu & Kashmir is reported to have announced free rations for six months for all affected. This was most required and laudable. The challenge is to start distribution to all within 15 days. 2. But there is also wide spread criticism and extreme anger against the state government for being invisible and ineffective on all counts during the crises. 3. No attempt seems to be under way to evolve a mechanism to bring together Government, armed forces, civil society organisations and local communities together to coordinate and implement relief procurement and distribution to ensure that the relief is timely, appropriate and reaches everyone equally- especially the most deserving, marginalised and in remote locations. Similar mechanism was evolved in Kashmir after the earth quake in 2005 and proved fairly effective even up to the rehabilitation phase. 4. It is imperative that the process for establishment of such a coordination mechanism is set in motion within the next week and before the full scale commencement of the relief phase expected by about 20th September. 5. Most of our state governments have announced cash assistance and that too very meager. The Government of India and of Government of J&K must immediately appeal to all State Governments across the country to also support in kind in the form of chlorine liquid and tablets, medicines and medical teams, baby food and milk powder, ready to eat food, hygiene kits for women and children and clothes. If every state contributes these in whatever quantities it can- and not just cash- it could create magic in J&K. 6. They should also be requested to support in provision of temporary arrangements for the approaching winter and reconstruction of houses and businesses during the rehab phase. 7. Similar appeals by the Government of India and Government of J&K should also go to UN and EU agencies, national governments (especially G 8 Countries), Multinationals, Corporates, PSUs, INGOs, national organisations and philanthropic bodies etc. 8. Jammu & Kashmir has some security sensitivities but these can be easily factored in while formulating modalities for aid arrangements and processes for implementation. 9. Many concerned citizens and organisations want to contribute but do not know where they can send their donations. Collection centers in different cities in association with Media Houses, Corporate bodies and education institutions etc should be started immediately for the purpose and widest possible publicity should be given. 10. All airlines should be directed to reserve space on all flights to Srinagar for relief material and special sorties should be arranged to transport emergency supplies are per requirement. 11. Most houses that have faced the onslaught of gushing waters and are submerged for many days will have the problem of heavy silting whose removal and disposal will be a task in itself that has to be factored by the government and civil society organisations. 12. Many houses that are submerged in water for days may appear unaffected but their structures and even their foundations could become weak (due to increased water table) and in the high seismic activity area as Kashmir prone to earthquakes, many houses could be unsafe for habitation. It will be necessary to have teams of experts to check and certify all houses for safety. (In 2005 after the earthquake, COVA and VAN-Kashmir commissioned the services of expert from Gujarat to train engineering students of Srinagar colleges who examined all houses in the affected areas of Uri and Tangdar to advice demolition, retrofitting or simple repairs for re-habitation). 13. Like in all disaster situations, there will be an acute need for psycho social healing, first aid and counseling of many of those affected. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is woefully inadequate in terms of psychiatric and psychosocial counseling facilities even for its normal requirements. In a situation like this, paucity of these facilities could adversely impact the social health of the entire society generating its own long term implications. 14. Hence specialized institutions from across the country should arrange to depute trained personnel at least for some period. 15. Though the government has announced some relief packages and may announce more in days to come, availing any of these would require personal identification papers and related documents like ration cards etc. But with houses washed away or submerged in water for days, most people would have lost all their documents. Further, as most government offices are also submerged, most official records must also be destroyed by now. 16. Unbelievably difficult task but the government has to evolve some very creative solution to address this and within a week- else, even the most critically required scheme like free distribution of rations cannot be implemented at all. 17. In such a situation, many people, especially the poor and marginalised without any influence or resources to bribe will be excluded from availing most of the benefits. 18. Hence it will be necessary for at least some organisations to devote themselves to work for securing entitlements of all those affected. Issues for Advocacy It is suggested that all groups and organisations that can, should come together for collective advocacy on the following issues: 1. Immediate formation of Co-ordinations mechanisms involving the Government, foreign donors (government and non- government), national and local oganisations, armed forces (for rescue and relief phases) and local communities at New Delhi and in J&K. 2. Government should provide common warehousing facilities and linkages to local administration for the NGOs getting involved in relief and rehabilitation works. 3. Ensure that the state government starts distribution of free rations to all as promised within 15 days. 4. Ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs for all those killed and up to Rs. 2 lakhs for all those injured to be released within two months. 5. Grant of Rs. 5 Lakhs for all houses destroyed and up to 3 lakhs for those damaged as per estimates. (Construction material and labour in J&K is more expensive than in most parts of the country due to a variety of reasons). 6. Replacement of all documents of Identification or of securing entitlements (like rations) of people that may be destroyed or damaged due to floods within three months. 7. This amount should be released only after April 2015 for new constructions as construction activity in Kashmir becomes difficult during winter months and there will be likelihood of diversion of these funds if released just before winter.. This was experienced with funds for construction released during winter months after the earthquake of October 2005 that resulted in diversions and many people were left with little for actual construction activity. 8. However, funds for partially damaged houses could be considered for release as some internal repairs may be possible even during winters. 9. Similarly, Interim Relief of Rs. 50 Thousand should be released from the Building Grant for all those whose houses are destroyed for construction of Temporary Shelters. 10. Waiver of all state and central taxes and duties on all construction material for a specified time and limits for all affected persons 11. Government should announce 100% tax deduction on all donations for relief and rehabilitation work in Jammu and Kashmir. 12. Immediate sanction of loans up to 15,000 under DRI (Differential Rate of Interest) scheme for those below poverty line and loans up to 10 crores for petty, small and medium businesses that is mandatory for all banks under the priority sector scheme for MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). 13. Massive programs under the Employment Schemes should be launched for rebuilding of infrastructure in urban and rural areas damaged by the floods that will also provide livelihoods to the affected. 14. Secure contributions from the CSR budgets of all PSUs and corporate bodies. COVA and VAN Kashmir and VAN Jammu COVA is a national network of voluntary organisations working for communal harmony in India and peace in South Asia. COVA has been working in Jammu and Kashmir since 2000 to strengthen civil society, empower people and facilitate dialogue for reconciliation. COVA facilitated formation of VAN- Kashmir (Voluntary Action Network- Kashmir) and VAN Jammu in 2002 to strengthen civil society initiatives. After the earthquake of 2005, COVA in collaboration with VAN Kashmir (comprising of about 20 civil society organisations of Kashmir), provided relief to 6000 families in Uri and Tangdar Tehsils and constructed 194 houses for the most destitute in over 50 affected villages. COVA and VAN Kashmir also facilitated formation of relief and rehabilitation committees in over 150 villages of the two Tehsils and were involved in evolving a coordination mechanism comprising the government, armed forces, national and international NGOs and local organisations to ensure organized and effective relief. For more details please visit covanetork.org COVA- VAN Kashmir and VAN Jammu Plans for Kashmir Floods 2014 1. Members of VAN Kashmir are actively involved in rescue and relief works as per immediate requirements. VAN Jammu is also getting activated. 2. However, after fulfilling the most basic and unavoidable relief requirements, COVA- VAN Kashmir and VAN Jammu would focus on: a) Providing ground linkages with credible and dependable local organisations to external organisations and agencies to carry forward their relief and rehabilitation programs b) Work towards formation of a collective to undertake advocacy initiatives for issues listed above and some others that may arise or may be identified subsequently. c) Orient, motivate and facilitate as many organisations as possible to start working for winter provisioning With Inputs from: Gagan Sethi (CSJ, Gujarat), Balaji Singh (CareToday) , A.R. Hanjura and Feroz Ahmad (VAN Kashmir, Srinagar).
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:20:38 +0000
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