Progress Report on the Rehabilitation of the Flood Affected Families in Chittoor & Nellore

SAHANIVASA

Progress report on the rehabilitation of the flood affected families in Chittoor & Nellore districts.

Background: The Rovoncyclone has created devastations in the lives of people in Nellore & Chittoor districts for the period between 14th November to 5th December 2015. Although people in Nellore coast got used to cyclones and its troubles, the Rovoncyclone has not only prolonged the depression & rains and also faced the problem of continued floods due to heavy rains in upper region. 45 tank bunds are broken as a result of heavy flooded water from Chittoor district. 3615 families affected in 120 villages across Nellore coast in Chillakuru, Tada & Muttukuru mandals.

When it comes to Chittoor district – 15375 families affected in 258 villages of seven mandals where SAHANIVASA has been working. In fact, Chittoor district has been facing several problems due to the acute drought for the last 15 years, suddenly had heavy rains. 50 out of 56 mandals in Chittoor district was badly affected. 112 irrigation tank bonds are broken which created heavy floods. Unlike Nellore the people of Chittoor never had an experience of such heavy rains and floods. Hence, many people also got into health problems in addition to the damages of crops and broken tank bunds.

Role of SAHANIVASA & APVVU:

Mobilization of youth:

Followed by the Tsunami, APVVU has developed Emergency Task Group(ETG) in every village of coastal area of three mandals in Nellore district. The best seven youth swimmers in each village formed as ETG, and build the leadership capacities and groupwork in times of emergency situations. This group has been working actively in coastal area with proper replacement as and when required . One may surprised to note that 95% of these youth are illiterates, as fishing community particularly from Tribal (yanadi) families until 2007 . However, they are very active and also vigilant in times of crisis. They worked well in the floods in 2007 & 2011 in Nellore coast. The same group became active during Revon cyclone. The affected families are immediately shifted to the cyclone centers and in some cases shifting the people to the roofs of school buildings and also big landlords houses. As these youth has experience of handling such situations are able to responded fast. However, four old people and two kids are died due to prolonged rains and floods in 3 mandals at Nellore .

The situation in Chittoor district is different. SAHANIVASA and APVVU had to depend on the MATES[1] of NREGS to respond the situation immediately. As this is the organized group at every mandal level, it become easy to work with them.

The ETG & MATES group responded quickly on the call given by APVVU. The tasks handled are:

• The most affected families are physically shifted to the safe places.
• Made arrangements to provide food immediately to the needy – food grains mobilizing from local shops or borrowing from local rich and also landlords.
• List out the families deserved support immediately and submit to the government, start community cooking, mobilized food grains from government.
• List out the total damages and losses at every village level , the consolidated details are submitted to the government and mobilized immediate relief for every family. Govt has given to family wise support was 25kg rice, 1kg dal (lentils) 1 liter cooking oil, 2 liter kerosene and Rs.200/- towards buy vegetables and other provisions.
• Prepared the list of house damages (fully and partial damage categories), value of household materials, crop damages (type of crops and estimated loss) death of cattle and livestock, destruction of village roads & approach roads, damaged electric lines, damaged school buildings, water bodies and tanks.
• Submit to the government and assist them when they come for assessment of damages in their respective villages.

Appointment of staff team:

Each mandal one person was fully engaged from the day one of the heavy floods to coordinate the ETG & MATES groups to support the victims, collect the data and mobilized the relief to the victims from government. They are the mandal secretaries of APVVU who does these activities out of commitment not for payment. As there was a great need to coordinate with the government regularlyon the promised relief and rehabilitation package , we had to engage one full time for each mandal. Therefore, approached ASHA and as against the general relief mobilized from the organization, we have felt it is the responsibility of the government to provide the relief and there is a need to put track of their promises at implementation level. Hence ASHA has become partner supporting the staff. The staff has been tirelessly working on the promises made by the government: 25 kgs to 50 kgs rice relief for first month and remaining two more months 25 kgs per month. So each family got 100 kg rice for three months time. The staff has been consistently visited the respective mandal development office, coordinate with the concern authorities to visit and verify the damages as per the list submitted , link up the relief material distributed through the fair price shops fully monitored by self help groups and ETG & MATES. Submit the applications for the fully damaged houses, monitored the payment of cash compensation publically in transparent manner in the villages, work with village panchayat leaders for proper distribution. Mobilized 200 days employment under MGNREGA by negotiating with district in charge Minister and follow up with the district collector. Coordinate the work with ETG & MATES.

Data collected by the ETG, MATES & Staff:

Immediate relieffrom government :

All 378 villages recognized as the affected villages. The data is submitted by our team is re-verified by the concern government staff visiting each of the village. The staff and ETG & MATES group have been consistently supported the officials when they visit the villages. In fact, it is the work of the government is made easy to deliver the relief & compensations without going through the long process of bureaucratic process. The department has completely relay on the data submitted by our team and process the relief quickly. The relief material mobilized are:

• 12 relief centers are started immediately in three mandals of Nellore district with provide the food with common kitchen in each center for eight days.

• Rice distributed @25 kgs per family in the beginning and subsequently increased to 50 kgs rice relief for first month and remaining two more months 25 kgs per month. So each family got 100 kg rice for three months time. So 18990 families got 100 kg each = Kg.18,99,000 (1899 tones) Approximate market cost =Rs.4,74,75,000/- calculated @Rs.25/- per kilogram.
• Every household got 3 liters oil, 3 kg lentils, 6 liters kerosene for three months and Rs.200/- for vegetables and etc. = Rs.1050/- per family and for all the 18990 families got Rs.1,99,39,500/-

From civil society:

• SAHANIVASA mobilized Rs.65,000/- locally and distributed rice immediately for 165 families and blankets for 60 families.
• Distributed 117 kerosene stoves in 6 villages. These stoves are mobilized from the support from an NGO name SINORD working in Prakasam district.
• 15 villages from Kadapa and Kurnool districts collected rice of two tones and distributed to seven villages.
• Five villages from kadapa provided food for three villages for three days.

Mobilization of rehabilitationpackage from government in partnership with ASHA:

• Thatched huts Rs 1000/- and fully damaged old houses got Rs.5000/- per family in Nellore district . 770 families got Rs.7,70,000/- for huts damaged and 1060 families Rs.53,00,000/-

• In Chittoor district Rs.5000/- for thatched houses and Rs.10000/- for damaged old houses. 2604 damaged thatched houses got Rs.1,30,20,000/- and 1727 old houses got Rs.1,72,70,000/-. On verification government has not been approved compensation for 21 thatched houses and 11 damaged old houses as they found that the people have not been using the houses for living purpose.

• The government of Andhra Pradesh promised to provide housing program for all the affected families but all in vain. However, our team has submitted 870 applications for housing in Nellore district and 1430 applications for housing program in Chittoor district. Although government has declared Rs.1,60,000/- per house, the applications are still under the process. The district officials said that they did not get any orders from higher ups to sanction new housing for flood affected families but waiting for orders.

• Loss of crops: applications are filed for 17040 acres of crop damaged both in Nellore & Chittoor districts. The major crop damages in Nellore are rice fields of 5518 acres. In Chittoor district mostly dry crops of lentils, pulses, tomatoes and vegetables , finger millets, Jowar and sugar cane fields. The government has re-verified the applications submitted for 17040 acres and finalized for 13215 acres for approval to insurance. The insurance company is processing the applications and they will start their process in a month time.

• Compensation for cattle death: All the applications submitted for the death of cattle are verified and approved 1270 sheep’s & goats got Rs.700/- per each which is Rs.8,89,000/- and the remaining 1309 cows and cultivation animals got Rs.1200/- for each and a total of Rs.15,70,800/-.

• Although government promised to give support for the loss of live stock , finally they have not approved

• Regarding the village roads and approach roads -the government has approved the road works 48 out of 192 village roads damaged and 31 out of 74 approached roads damaged. The remaining are still in the process and waiting for the government approval.

• All the 74 villages electrical lines are attended by end of January.

• For damaged 55 schools, the government has approved only 49 schools and the remaining six the government has not approved with the justification that six schools has enoughadditional rooms to accommodate the students and no need to have new building at this point of the time.

• Out of 73 damaged tanks only six got approval for strengthening the bunds and remaining has not yet being taken by the government as the tanks deserves lot of money.

• Government has given exgratia of Rs.1,00,000/- per family of the 6 died due to floods .

• We have also negotiated and got approval from government to provide cycles for Yanadifisher men families to go to the fishing from their village and also use the bicycles in emergency situations to get out of it. SO far 75 cycles with nets are provided .the total cost of net and cycle is Rs 8000 X 75 = Rs 600000/-

Conclusion:In any flood situation ,government will take up rescue operations quickly when it is reachable areas. Chittoor district was very much reachable the officials, while Nellore district was not. Because, the most needy affected people are Yanaditribels who live far of the road points. While the water stagnated at five feet deep across the Pulicat lake area ,the officials were unable to reach. It is in that context, our Emergency Task Groups worked hard to reach out the officials and also get the support to shift them to shelters and also provide the food to get out of the hunger. Generally, the government promises a lot in emergency situation and will not stand by when people come out of the crises. It is reflected in the present case because they have been delaying the processing the application for housing, road works, water bodies. Even the above success is achieved just because of our team who continuously engaged at village level to motivate the leaders and people to represent to the officials and also negotiate with them from time to time to get approval. The other important element in the entire rehabilitation is that our team could able to bring down the corruption to zero level in the working area. The project is planned in such a way that even after the May 2016 the team will continued to volunteer to coordinate with ETG and MATES group to accomplish the government promised rehabilitation package for the most needy affected people.

We thank ASHA for this partnership in the process

Submitted by

P. SuriaRajini

Executive Director

14-04-2016

[1] MATE is an elected leader of every 20 workers to work as a group to mobilize and implement MGNREGA. The 20 member group is recognized by the government to allot the works. MATE is one among the 20 workers coordinate the work and also mediate the officials on behalf of the workers. APVVU / SAHANIVASA has given them trainings in leadership building as they are also unit leaders of APVVU.