Sundaresan Krishnaswami
2005-01-05 08:19:39 UTC
Got this info from Collectivechaos group. Meeting at Real-Image? The
info given here must be true.
Sundar
Some news from volunteers on the ground (both volunteers of ICA -
Indians for Collective Action)...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends,
As is to be expected in a disaster situation, the situation on the
ground is changing so rapidly that I wanted to provide this update as
of the morning of Dec 30th. We are being flooded with calls from
potential donors from all over India and other parts of the world with
offers of assistance. So we wanted to paint a picture of where things
appear to stand today so people can focus on productive initiatives.
We must first keep two things in mind: 1. This is a unique disaster in
that one can walk a few hundred meters from utter devastation and buy
ice cold Pepsi and fresh milk! And, 2. The lag factor in reporting
seems just as dramatic as in Gujarat--even as we hear NDTV reporting
chaos and lack of this or that in a place, our contacts there are
reporting a somewhat different story. The information lag factor is
exacerbated by the fact that--unlike the role of Abhiyan in
Bhuj--there is no single nodal agency acting as a clearinghouse of
information.
The following report is based on field reports gathered by Bhoomika
Trust and AIDers from Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, etc.,
feed-back from Bhoomika and AID volunteers who are on the road, from
the SIFFS fisherman's society leaders based on the ground, and
People's Watch group also stationed in those places. AID, I am sure,
will be sending out their own reports.
The government machinery has kicked in in a LARGE WAY and most major
affected localities are now reporting that THEY DO NOT NEED ANY
"RELIEF SUPPLIES" from NGOs at this time, including medicines! Our
task now is to locate remote villages or pockets which may have been
overlooked for one reason or another. Balaji of AID reports that there
are such pockets, and last night located one such village of 1,500
families who had gone on for three days without food or water (now
this one has been taken care of). Our truck, which went packed with
medicines, doctor, and counselors to Cuddalore found that there was no
need either there or in Nagapattinam, and we are now searching for a
place where there may be real need.
The Army has stepped in a big way to clear debris and bodies. (But our
earthmover sent by TTK Co day before yesterday is still busy digging
up bodies and clearing debris in Tarangambadi). Doctor teams are
reported fanning out all over and inoculations have begun in a big
way, we are told.
Local communities have pitched in everywhere to take care of immediate
food needs. People are accepting only dry rations and cooking vessels!
NO USED CLOTHES NEEDED (only new clothes are being acceptedâEUR"lungis,
banyans, sarees, etc.)
So, where can others help? Here is my view:
Stop collecting old clothes or cooked food. For the next few days,
support financially the purchase of dry ration kits (Rs 625/ per
family for 10 days). Even this may be taken over by the government PDS
system after a couple of weeks.
Focus on supporting counselors, especially women volunteers who speak
Tamil, and who can provide grief counseling and who are willing to
stay with the community for some days. (This includes supporting
transportation for the volunteers)
Turn our attention to collaborating with the community and the
government on REHABILITATION EFFORTS, both livelihood and
psychological. This includes a realistic community-based effort to
take care of orphaned children (not a knee-jerk reaction to rush them
to orphanagesâEUR"we nixed some such offers yesterday).
A few people are wanting to rush into supporting purchase of
catamarans, fishing nets, etc. without an organized needs assessment.
We should focus on collecting funds for this effortâEUR"especially from
NRIs and the corporatesâEUR"but we should hold off any action for a few
days to get a clearer picture of the needs. This is the area that we
are focusing on for the next two-three days.
WE ARE PLANNING A MEETING IN CHENNAI AT 9:30 AM on SUNDAY, JAN 2 at
the offices of Real Image/Bhoomika TO BRING EXPERTS ON REHAB TOGETHER
to start the ball rolling. The meeting will focus on Livelihood Rehab
and Psych Rehab. We hope that people from the govt departments,
NIMHANS, BANYAN, ActionAid, Fisherman's society, and the corporates
who want to fund rehab will be there. Sushma Iyengar and perhaps Gagan
Sethi will join us to give their feed-back with their experiences
(Sushma is touring Nagapattinam today and tomorrow). Dr. Prashantham
of Christian Counseling Center, Vellore will join us. Dr. Sekhar of
NIMHANS may also do so.
Here is the time and place:
REAL IMAGE TECHNOLOGIES, 7B, 3rd Street, Balaji Nagar, Chennai 600
014. 044-5204-1505; 098401-73650 (my cell).
Please be there if you want to understand and help in the enormous
rehab efforts that we can see ahead of us.
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Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/4F6XtA/_WnJAA/E2hLAA/0EHolB/TM
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info given here must be true.
Sundar
Some news from volunteers on the ground (both volunteers of ICA -
Indians for Collective Action)...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends,
As is to be expected in a disaster situation, the situation on the
ground is changing so rapidly that I wanted to provide this update as
of the morning of Dec 30th. We are being flooded with calls from
potential donors from all over India and other parts of the world with
offers of assistance. So we wanted to paint a picture of where things
appear to stand today so people can focus on productive initiatives.
We must first keep two things in mind: 1. This is a unique disaster in
that one can walk a few hundred meters from utter devastation and buy
ice cold Pepsi and fresh milk! And, 2. The lag factor in reporting
seems just as dramatic as in Gujarat--even as we hear NDTV reporting
chaos and lack of this or that in a place, our contacts there are
reporting a somewhat different story. The information lag factor is
exacerbated by the fact that--unlike the role of Abhiyan in
Bhuj--there is no single nodal agency acting as a clearinghouse of
information.
The following report is based on field reports gathered by Bhoomika
Trust and AIDers from Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, etc.,
feed-back from Bhoomika and AID volunteers who are on the road, from
the SIFFS fisherman's society leaders based on the ground, and
People's Watch group also stationed in those places. AID, I am sure,
will be sending out their own reports.
The government machinery has kicked in in a LARGE WAY and most major
affected localities are now reporting that THEY DO NOT NEED ANY
"RELIEF SUPPLIES" from NGOs at this time, including medicines! Our
task now is to locate remote villages or pockets which may have been
overlooked for one reason or another. Balaji of AID reports that there
are such pockets, and last night located one such village of 1,500
families who had gone on for three days without food or water (now
this one has been taken care of). Our truck, which went packed with
medicines, doctor, and counselors to Cuddalore found that there was no
need either there or in Nagapattinam, and we are now searching for a
place where there may be real need.
The Army has stepped in a big way to clear debris and bodies. (But our
earthmover sent by TTK Co day before yesterday is still busy digging
up bodies and clearing debris in Tarangambadi). Doctor teams are
reported fanning out all over and inoculations have begun in a big
way, we are told.
Local communities have pitched in everywhere to take care of immediate
food needs. People are accepting only dry rations and cooking vessels!
NO USED CLOTHES NEEDED (only new clothes are being acceptedâEUR"lungis,
banyans, sarees, etc.)
So, where can others help? Here is my view:
Stop collecting old clothes or cooked food. For the next few days,
support financially the purchase of dry ration kits (Rs 625/ per
family for 10 days). Even this may be taken over by the government PDS
system after a couple of weeks.
Focus on supporting counselors, especially women volunteers who speak
Tamil, and who can provide grief counseling and who are willing to
stay with the community for some days. (This includes supporting
transportation for the volunteers)
Turn our attention to collaborating with the community and the
government on REHABILITATION EFFORTS, both livelihood and
psychological. This includes a realistic community-based effort to
take care of orphaned children (not a knee-jerk reaction to rush them
to orphanagesâEUR"we nixed some such offers yesterday).
A few people are wanting to rush into supporting purchase of
catamarans, fishing nets, etc. without an organized needs assessment.
We should focus on collecting funds for this effortâEUR"especially from
NRIs and the corporatesâEUR"but we should hold off any action for a few
days to get a clearer picture of the needs. This is the area that we
are focusing on for the next two-three days.
WE ARE PLANNING A MEETING IN CHENNAI AT 9:30 AM on SUNDAY, JAN 2 at
the offices of Real Image/Bhoomika TO BRING EXPERTS ON REHAB TOGETHER
to start the ball rolling. The meeting will focus on Livelihood Rehab
and Psych Rehab. We hope that people from the govt departments,
NIMHANS, BANYAN, ActionAid, Fisherman's society, and the corporates
who want to fund rehab will be there. Sushma Iyengar and perhaps Gagan
Sethi will join us to give their feed-back with their experiences
(Sushma is touring Nagapattinam today and tomorrow). Dr. Prashantham
of Christian Counseling Center, Vellore will join us. Dr. Sekhar of
NIMHANS may also do so.
Here is the time and place:
REAL IMAGE TECHNOLOGIES, 7B, 3rd Street, Balaji Nagar, Chennai 600
014. 044-5204-1505; 098401-73650 (my cell).
Please be there if you want to understand and help in the enormous
rehab efforts that we can see ahead of us.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn.
Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/4F6XtA/_WnJAA/E2hLAA/0EHolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iluIndia/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
iluIndia-unsubscribe-***@public.gmane.org
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/