Special initiative by Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan-Samarth
Different voluntary organisations conducted different types of relief activities in disaster hit Uttarakhand. Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan (DRA) volunteers have focused on the total care of pregnant women. Apart from the present medical needs a plan is also on to ensure health and education for their new born babies. At present it is working in Guptkashi (Rudraprayag), Uttarkashi and Govindghat (Chamoli).
DRA is an outfit blessed by Swami Chidanand Muni of Parmarth Niketan Rishikesh, Noted social activist of Mumbai Shri Anand Shankar Pandya is its patron. It is basically a wing of SAMARTH, which initiated it in collaboration with Project HOPE of Parmarth Niketan and Ganga Action Pariwar. Many organisations including BAPS-Swami Narayan Sansthan, Emami Ltd, Hindu Jan Jagrati Samiti, Vishwa Sindhu Parishad-Haridwar, Sanatan Sanstha-Goa, Shashi Mohan Foundation-Gorakhpur, Vandemataram Foundation-Mumbai, Path Vijay Bhagwan Dharmchakra Charitable Trust-Surat and many others have also provided assistance.
The DRA has taken up prominently three projects—Protection, Rehabilitation and Prevention. Under the project Protection, disaster Survivors were provided relief at two relief camps where food supplies and medical care were ensured. It also set up mobile phone charging areas so that people could charge their phones to contact their loved ones. It is repeatedly requesting the state Government to adopt Dron Technology to find the missing persons in Uttarakhand. The pilotless drones have proved greatly beneficial in this task.
Under Rehabilitation, the work has begun in Guptkashi, Uttarkashi, Govindghat, Bageshwer and Dharchula. “We have just finished our survey in 15 Village Panchayats— (Tulanga (20), Jaggi Bhagwan (29), Kalimath (38), Kotma (29), Triyugi Narayan (20), Chilod (15), Jaal Malla (12), Jaal Talla (20), Baisari(Semi) (2), Kudjethi (9), Cahumasi (12), Bedula (18), Lawani-Minouli (16), Nala (8), and Raulek (6). Figure in box is casualties in these village Panchayat. Total population in all 15 village Panchayats is 11978 and 204 women are pregnant now. Now 94 of those 204 pregnant women are widows,” says Shri Manish Munjal, general secretary of DRA.
He said in 15 village Panchayats, 9 out of 12 schools have fully damaged. The DRA-SAMARTH has decided to focus on educational infrastructure in the valley. In this project there are plans to provide educational books, stationery, teachers and accessories like computers, furniture, black boards, etc.
DRA–SAMARTH also finds scope of eco-friendly financial development model in collaboration of different academic institutions and industrial houses. “We are working on joint collaboration with Cal-Earth (The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture) safe eco Homes. After rehabilitation, the last phase of prevention will begin. Under this phase, we want to work on disaster communication network, disaster management training for pre disaster, and rescue training/infrastructure for post- disaster, weather information network and development standards for conducting vulnerability assessment and economic valuation of risk assessment for tourism sector of Uttarakhand,” added Shri Munjal.
He said the DRA has received support from all segments of the society including Dalmia Groups, diamond industries, many spiritual Ashrams and individuals. The Government may focus on roads, bridges, etc. but we want to focus on personal care in the valley. Uttarakhand Government might have received Rs 7000 cror from different agencies, but it is doing nothing for personal care of the affected people.
