UP: India’s most marginalised take a lead in flood response
The Musahar – literally ‘rat-eaters’ because hunger sometimes forces them to catch rodents for survival – are taking a lead in flood response in Uttar Pradesh.
One of India’s most discriminated against groups, sometimes referred to as “the dalits amongst dalits” (lowest in India’s caste hierarchy), the Musahar are employing their well-honed coping strategies to rise to the challenge of food shortages in the wake of floods which have swept Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The Musahar Manch, a community organisation and ActionAid partner, is also drawing on past experience of taking on the authorities. They are currently pressurizing local officials to provide necessities such as food, candles, matches, tarpaulin, medicines and safe drinking water.
They are also calling for boats, health camps and to step up police protection for areas affected by the floods.
(The Musahar Manch last year led a successful bid to secure government ration cards entitling ‘Below Poverty Line’ families to desperately needed support.)
Extent of the damage
Floods have ravaged seven districts of UP killing nearly 100 people. Roads to 1050 villages are damaged with over 300 villages totally cut off. The number of displaced people has reached 145,000.
Though water levels in major rivers are reported to have stopped rising for the moment, the state government is facing logistical challenges and is finding it hard to reach out to many of the worst affected areas.
Crops of 350,000 hectares have been lost and 1500,000 more hectares badly damaged. Local groups warn that this will hit not only small and marginal farmers but also the daily wage earners dependent on agricultural labour.
Monsoon is in any case a lean season for work for agricultural labourers. Even without floods, they run short of food. A disaster compounds their insecurity.
“These families are very poor. They survived on food from the community grain store for some days. This store is now empty. Without government support, families are being pushed back into the debt-trap they had worked so hard to escape. Already reports of worst-hit villagers borrowing funds at high interest rates from local
money-lenders are coming in,” says Sudipta Kumar Badapanda, regional manager for ActionAid in UP.
Immediate and long-term needs
Rice, dal, salt, jaggery, cooking oil, water purifying tablets, plastic water bottles, utensils, candles, matches, mosquito nets and oral rehydration solution packets are needed without delay.
Seeds for sowing, disinfecting sprays, clean drinking water, medicines for malaria, gastroenteritis and skin rashes, and sufficient livelihood opportunities would be needed for months after the floods have receded.
Government response
State government has promised Rupees 150,000 to families of the dead. Some 70 medical centres and 80 relief camps have been organised, and grain and pulses procured for emergency distribution.
“Unfortunately this is still short of what is needed and bad roads and insufficient numbers of boats have affected the speed of relief operations. Reports of deaths due to water-borne diseases are also emerging,” says Sudipta Kumar Badapanda.
“No compensation has yet been announced. People urgently need support to rebuild homes and livelihoods,” he adds.
ActionAid response
ActionAid is working intensely in Kushinagar, Maharaganj and Barabanki districts and has a number of volunteers in Deoria and Sidharthnagar districts.
Emergency response teams are working with the state government in organising health centres – deploying volunteers as needed and providing transport for doctors – and are also organising awareness drives around water and sanitation.
Dry food kits containing five days worth supply of rice, dal, salt, candles and matches are being distributed. Targeted relief for women includes provision of sanitary pads.
As the immediate emergency passes, attention will turn to reconstruction of damaged home and revival of livelihoods.
Updated: 10/08/2007
Photo credit: ActionAid
