Help Flood Victims in Bihar

May I send my very best wishes and thanks to the generous supporters of this important project, along with warm best compliments of the season to you and your familes.

I am pleased to bring you this latest progress report.

Changing the condtion and lives of the poor for the better in the long term takes care planning and resolve but primarily must of course involve those affected every step of the way. This has always been the People First approach because as a small grassroots NGO with years of experience we know the areas in which we can be effective, and can directly help people and thier communities in a way that larger organisations or governments sometimes find difficult.

It is not our intention to crticise others, in many ways government is doing what it can, there is no doubt improvements have been made, but we include the following press report without further comment from the Times of India from July this year,

New Delhi, July 23: In another blow to the Bihar administration, the latest Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report released on Friday has found major irregularities in delivering food grains of over 3,000 quintals, meant for the flood-affected in the state.

The report stated that while on paper it was shown that these food grains were transported for the flood-affected, the audit report reveals that majority of such trucks (through which the foodgrains were transported) did not exist.

The registration numbers mentioned by the district officials in the records books were those of motorcycles and jeeps. The report “apprehends that the government claim of transporting the grain to the flood-affected areas never happened, since the registration numbers of the trucks in the record books appeared to be fake.”

The report suspects that “3115.65 quintal food grains for the flood victims have been misappropriated.”

The report stated that during February 2009, foodgrains for the flood victims were picked up from Mansi railway station.

The government record showed that the foodgrains were lifted by trucks and kept at the godowns at Khagaria, from where they were later distributed to the flood-affected areas.

However, “when checked it was found that majority of the trucks with the registration numbers mentioned in the record books did not exist and others belonged to motorcycles, scooters, jeeps etc...”

The report stated: Following the enquiry, it was being apprehended that the government claim of despatching those foodgrains to the flood hit zones never happened. It is being suspected that 3111.65 quintals of foodgrains have been misappropriated.”

So what have we been doing to help?

The region is still overwhelmingly covered with sand carried by the flood waters,but sparse vegetation has started

We have been distributing through our partners, seeds, seedlings, animals and food stuffs, supporting micro credit and small scale income raising initiatives, helping people build more solid homes and supporting education initiatives.

Our next report will include the latest photographs of work in progress plus a slideshow will be uploaded onto our website.

Once again our heartfelt gratitude for your support,

This, from the Hindustan newspaper, Sept 17th Gandak river breaches banks, 2.5 lakh homeless Late Wednesday night, the waters of the heavily swollen Gandak River— flowing from Nepal— began seeping into six villages of Bihar’s Gopalganj district. The waters were ankle-deep. By Thursday morning, the water level in these villages had risen waist-high, triggering panic among residents and villagers State water resources department officials had warned that 14 lakh people in the three north Bihar districts of Gopalganj, Saran and Siwan would be affected if the river breached its embankment in Gopalganj. Since Wednesday, 2, 50,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit and vulnerable areas. They have started reaching relief centers set up by the disaster management department in More than 520 people had died in the Kosi floods in north Bihar in August 2008 when the river had breached its embankments near Kusaha in Nepal You can feel that flood prevention measures and government response are inadequate, but it is the poor who cannot leave their land who are suffering yet again. As always it is the women and children who often beat the brunt of such suffering. It can be said although many have died perhaps the death toll is lower because of improved preventative work but the situation is still incredibly bad on the ground.

With our partners in the flood area we are distributing milk, animal feed blankets and medicines. We are doing what we can.

UNICEF is rushing supplies to the area but we do not yet know how effectively they will be distributed on the ground. And in the South of the same state drought has been declared.

May God have mercy on Bihar.

Starting on October 12, www.GlobalGiving.org is matching at all donations at 30%, 40%, or 50%. The match percentage is based on the size of the donation. Up to $500 30% Up to $1000 40% and $1000 to 2,500 50%

There is $100,000 available in matching funds. The campaign will run until Oct 21 or until matching funds run out.

Thank you so much for your support.