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Rebuilding
Kashmir
: Save Rangwar Campaign
ActionAid
organised its first protest rally for the resettlement of the quake-affected
people of
Kashmir. As part of the Save Rangwar Campaign, this rally was held on
June 1 at Press Enclave in Srinagar
with the residents of Rangwar village. It aimed to press for resettlement
infrastructure at their new location Drangyari, where ActionAid has provided
them with new shelters and has undertaken a number of other rehabilitation
activities.
Even
the policemen monitoring the highly disturbed security situation in
Srinagar
could not to deter the protesters. A few days back the Forest Department had
stopped the refurbishing activities of villagers' shelters and other cash for
work programs on the grounds that some of the areas belonged to the department.
After wide reporting on the issue of resettlement of quake-affected Kashmiris,
the government has promised to identify land for their rehabilitation soon.
ActionAid is following the matter closely.
Last
month, ActionAid made major progress in its rehabilitation and reconstruction
activities. Over 15,000 work days have been generated in 30 villages so far,
re-establishing old and creating 14 new road links, restoring over 200 houses,
creating drinking water facilities and helping establish village level amenities
like children and women care centres.
As part of the cash for work program over
38,000 trees, which are mainly fruit trees, have been planted so far in the
affected areas. The work provides daily wages to the villagers, helps bring
degraded lands under green cover and creates potential for future livelihood.
One of the main features of this program has been planting of apple trees in
areas like upper Uri and Tanghdar, where hitherto such fruits have not been
grown. Local village committees, formed by ActionAid, supervise work in their
villages and monitor social audits. This is the first time social auditing of
cash for work programs was carried out.
In the meantime, 30 children and women
centres that ActionAid has established are providing care and nutrition to over
4000 children and 200 women. The local caretakers having been trained in
psychosocial care are also helping identify children and women with stress.
Provision of
livelihood units, largely livestock and other small businesses, is in progress.
This is expected to benefit over 300 families.
Tsunami
Participatory Vulnerability Analysis in A&N Islands
On 26 December 2004, a severe earthquake measuring 8.9 on the richter scale triggered a tsunami in Asia. The event brought tragedy to innumerable people in Many countries, including India. Tidal waves as high as ten metres, hit the coast and traveled up to three kilometers inland. Over 2.7 million people in India were affected by the tsunami. Coastal communities bore the brunt of the disaster, both in terms of Human loss and long-term loss of livelihoods. ActionAid is working in the tsunami-affected areas of the country, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands- one of the worst affected areas – through a national tsunami response programme. |
