Under Down South

On 30 April, I rushed to Chennai by an evening flight, and took a mid-night bus to Pondicherry (Puducherry), and met my sister and brother-in-law who had arrived there for a family celebration. The events were all over by noon. But, I had not slept the whole night. And then we all left for Madurai, reaching the city in down South at 8.30 p.m. After a sumptuous meal, and lots of fun, I fell as sleep by 11.00 at night. Sunday was not a resting day, as I had to visit other family members, and the families of my nieces. It was also interesting to see the new shop of my nephews who are struggling to erect it with whatever means they have. After the evening mass, and grand dinner, I left for Chennai, and other places in Tamilnadu, and reached back in Kolkata on 5 May 2010. Lots of work await me....

Real Stories, Sad Lives

As we traveled through the bumpy mud road that parted from National Highway 34, after crossing about 6 kilometers from Karandighi, (35 kms north of Raiganj town), we were greeted by a bullock cart that was carrying three others and some bags of wheat, two bags of cement and few rods. Once we crossed it, we entered Basudebpur, the little hamlet that is dotted by palm trees, and it was almost empty under the scorching noon. Accompanied by two other companions and the driver, our Scorpio was soon surrounded by couple of women, three men and a dozen children. As I got down, I was looking for some known faces. I had been to these areas almost eight years ago. Nothing much has changed.

The Santhal tribal people who live in the midst of the village surrounded by Muslims and Scheduled Caste communities on either side were still living with hope, living in present! When I walked into the first house I felt comfortable with, I found a boy of about 12 years old. There was some light in his eyes. I could read that he is educated. I enquired. He said he is studying in the fifth grade. And when I walked in, I found a old lady whom I could recognize, and fortunately she could recognize me as soon as I introduced! I requested her to take us around the village. Soon some more known and unknown faces joined us.

I saw at least six fully damaged houses and several partly damaged houses in the hamlet of about 30 odd houses. All of tribals. I saw the men sitting and drinking the liquor drawn from palm trees (toddy), and all that the men and women could utter at every house was, they received nothing after the tornado that tore their houses apart on the fateful night of 13 April.

We checked with them. They had gone several times to the Panchayat (local government office). But the crowd at the panchayat was overwhelming, and they were asked to come another day. Well, these people had no money to travel, nor the voice and strength to stand and receive the tarpaulins.

We walked further. At the farthest end of the village was the house of Denis Soren. (That’s how she pronounced it.) Her house was flat. She is a young widow. Has a child of about 5 months old, and another girl studying in upper kinder garden. Her husband died when she was just three months pregnant. The house on which it was built is a declared “waste land”. With no other assets, and the house flattened, with nothing to cook, she wanted to go to see her elder child whom she had not seen in weeks. Tears were rolling up her eyes, as there is no one to help her collect the broken tins, nor to repair her house. She is, luckily, the only person who had received a black polythene sheet (as tarpaulin) and three kilograms of rice. And she had eaten all that stuff in the last four days.

We were dumb. We had no words to console. We took her on our air-conditioned 850,000 rupees worth Scorpio, and dropped her at the boarding school where her child is. On the way, we gave her some money, which would probably buy her some oil and soap for her child, and purchase some pulses for her own survival for few more days. The support from humanity never seems enough to get her out of poverty. Alas, you could still see thirst in her eyes.

Congress and other things...

The State Disaster Risk Reduction Congress, first of its kind in the country, took place on 22 -24 April 2010. It had been very long 10 weeks of preparation, that yielded fruits. As State Coordinator of the State Inter Agency Group, I had to go about creating sub-committees, negotiate with organizations for fund raising for the event, and ensure that every thing perfect in order.... With over 60 speakers and three venues, over 600 participants and over 50 dignitaries, and the huge exhibition by 20 organizations and National Disaster Response Force, the entire Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata gave a new look. The sun was inclement. It certainly hit on my body, as the last seven days were almost sleepless, and spending the days in hot and humid weather. A little shop at the stadium run by two blind people (they are couples) gave me some relief, as I drank almost five to eight bottles of Nimbooz (of Coca Cola) that cooled me down, with the lemon flavor.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Uttar Dinajpur where a devastating storm had struck had gone up to 43, and the government said over 100,000 houses are fully damaged, and the number of people affected by the storm was placed at 700,000. On 15 April I had called for a meeting of the State IAG and we sent a team of professionals to do needs assessment. Several organizations have started responding to the needs of the affected population, although it is severely insufficient, and the support given by the government is terribly short of fulfilling people's needs, and is mired in political battle. (In picture, a child at play in the midst of rumbles....never realizing the damage that surrounds it!)

As soon as the Congress was over on 24 April evening, immediately I left for Raiganj to visit the affected areas and to assess the level of response. And my visits, rend my heart.

Another storm kills 39 in a district and keeps me busy!

I have begun to say to myself: "Anywhere in Bengal there is a disaster, it is a disaster to me!" Personally I have grown in the last 14 years of public life, and specially in the last 7 years, managing disasters from ground zero. The disasters have made me appreciate the health and safety I have, and also become humble and humane to empathize with the pain and agony of those who have lost their loved ones, homes, and livelihoods due to natural calamities.

At least 76 people were killed and more than 200 injured when a severe Nor'wester packed with a windspeed of 125 kmph raged for 40 minutes through North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, four neighbouring districts of Bihar and five of Assam last night. While 39 people were killed in North Dinajpur alone, (where I worked for 12 years!) , 33 perished in four districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul and Purnia in Bihar in the storm.

West Bengal chief secretary Mr Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti, reporters in Kolkata that the storm leveled 50,000-60,000 dwelling units. Later in the evening, reports suggested total destruction of 20,000 houses and partial destruction of 25,000 houses. Tin and thatched roofs were wrenched off and hurled at a distance in villages lining both sides of the National Highway in North Dinajpur.
Bamboo groves in more than 500 sq-ft. area at one village was completely uprooted as the storm ripped through Kaliaganj, Raiganj, Karandighi and Hemtabad blocks in North Dinajpur, civil defence minister Mr Sreekumar Mukherjee said. The storm, which was accompanied by rain, uprooted thousands of trees and left telephone and electric poles twisted, he said. Around 50,000 dwellings were destroyed rendering hundreds of people homeless in the district while the police barracks in Raiganj was destroyed, he said. Mr Chakraborti said the Centre had offered help to the state government.
“I contacted the cabinet secretary to brief him. The Centre has enquired about the devastation. The Centre is willing to assist the state government,” Mr Chakraborti said. He said Rs 5 lakh had been disbursed from the Calamity Relief Fund for the affected people. The government has approved the release of 25,000 tarpaulin sheets, 1,000 tonne of rice, dry food, tarpaulin sheets, dhotis, saris and children's garments for the affected villages. Drinking water was also being sent, while five medical teams left for the spot.

And I spent the whole day, collecting information, putting together a team for emergency needs assessment, and generating Situation Reports.

It is WAR !

India is, for the first time, almost in a state of civil rebellion. Besides the massacre of policemen in some parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa in the recent past, on Tuesday, 6 April 2010, nearly 1,000 rebels (called Naxalites / Maoists) ambushed 75 men of para-military force (known as, Central Reserve Police Force - CRPF), and a police driver, and killed them all under heavy gun battle. This is War! People killing forces of the country. The men, many from poorer families who took jobs in the CRPF to get their families out of poverty have been killed by the Maoists who claim to champion the cause of poor.

The political twist does not end there. The home ministry of the country has asked for two drones from the defense ministry, to spy on the Maoists specially in the deep jungles, so that operations against them can be done safely. But the defense ministry does not want to give them. Reason: defense items cannot be used to fight against the citizens of the country! Rubbish.

If we cannot protect the citizens what is the point in having these resources? When citizens' lives are under threat, how can we not use our resources? Do the people who continue to engage in inhuman violence have a right to citizenship? Who defines citizenry?

And finally, when will we stop talking politics, and start acting?

Stupidity at its bottom!

On 23 March 2010, exactly a week ago, the Stephen's Court, a heritage building which had two floors illegally built on its top, in Kolkata caught fire at noon. And as of today, as the debris is being cleared, still dead bodies are being unearthed! And today, 29 March 2010, it stands at 43. The State Government has announced a 11 member inquiry committee. Who are all in it? The Fire Department, the Public Works department (PWD), the Electricity department, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the Police Department...... and the list goes long. The list looks good. But it has an inherent problem. How did the fire department give clearance to an illegal building, with only wooden staircases, which caught fire quickly, and so, people could not climb down at all! How did the electricity department give electrical connections to Stephen's Court, and it continues to give connection to thousands and thousands across the state, who live on illegal land, including on the land of many municipalities and panchayats? How is that the PWD department give facilities for water, and other facilities, including accepting to live with the illegal construction? The Kolkata Municipal Corporation seem to have had over 9 million rupees in due from this building alone as unpaid taxes. Who was bribing them? What was the police doing in all this? Now, you get my point! The people who are charged with are the ones who are going to probe it! Making a laughing stock of the government and the people. This is stupidity at its rock bottom.

This is a government that never learns. The people haven't learned it either.

Breaking Free

I was walking through the Convent Lane. It was already 8.00 p.m. I was returning after a meeting at the Disaster Management Department of the government. As I was nearing suddenly an event brought me to a halt. I saw a man in his late thirties sitting on a stopped motorcycle, with another man of his age, standing and talking to a woman, and then hugging her. In normal circumstances I would have just passed by. But, this time I had to stop. Because, the man on motorcycle was well dressed, clean, and looked as if he was from a moderately affluent family, and the woman was dark, dirty, almost in rags, with a bunch of clothes and few other things, and is certainly a street dweller. And they both spoke to each other briefly. And then the man drove away.

There could only be three reasons why this man should have hugged that lady. 1) Probably, this man regularly meets the lady, helps her in whatever way he can, and gives her a hug as a sign of love, respect and attention, which she truly misses. 2) May be that, this woman is doing some favor for him, like carrying drugs, or doing some work that people normally would not do, often illegal. So, he hugs her, as a sign of ensuring that the woman does not spill the beans. 3) May be that this woman is his own mother! Or a close relative!

Alas! When will the world wake up? When will all humans be set free? Join this battle. Join me.

Human Violence

I always thought highly of Siliguri, although several times I have heard that a mafia operates that trades in human persons. It was 6.30 p.m. on 6 March 2010. I was sitting in a middle class restaurant just next to Marina (opposite of the Tenzing-Norgey Bus Terminus) for early dinner, so that I would not have to pick it up before I catch a train to Kolkata. As I sat two other young men walked in and started talking to one of the bearers. Initially, I did not pay attention, as he said, "...I saw the two girls with .....'s driver.... (At this point I thought they are speaking about the children of one of the big guy's children in the city. The talk continued...) One of them is about 8 or 9 years old, and another is about 13 years old. (I still thought the same way.) Both are really cute. You know they will fetch around 20 lakhs! (about 2 million rupees)!" Got a shock! What are they talking about?! My goodness....! And is it such an ordinary talk? Selling of children? The whispers from them were short, and soon the electricity went off. I had to quickly move out. And I took a shared auto to the railway station. When I reached there it was just 8.05 p.m. Since I had plenty of time, as my train was at 9.00 p.m, I went to a barber's shop for hair cut, which I needed badly.

The man who was giving me the haircut was normal in voice whenever he spoke to me or others. I saw another young man in his twenties entering, and came nearer to this man. Then the man started speaking in a broken voice as if he had some pebbles in his mouth. And he said, "Give .... him a call.... tell him to see the girl at the (railway) station.... if he is satisfied or not... if not, tell that we have one.... in Shibmandir. Little costly.... If it is okay with him... Check first the railway station." I nauseated. It is terrible. And Shibmandir is the area where most girls studying in the North Bengal University stay ! It looks like everyone is into the business! Normal? I couldn't believe my ears. Water swelled up in my eyes, thinking of the condition of these girls. Can I help? How? Will someone show me the way how to do it?

Geo-Hazards in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal

On 5 March evening I traveled to Siliguri and reached there on 6th morning. Attended a whole day of workshop on Geo-Hazards in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal at the North Bengal University. The program had been organized by the Department of Geography and Applied Geography. The meeting was well attended by scholars and students. I gave a talk on "Role of Humanitarian Organizations in Geo-Hazards: Prospects and Challenges". (Download the talk) Most speakers dwelt on landslides as the key geo-hazard and they focused their talks on technical aspects of containing the disaster. By the time my turn came in the afternoon, almost everyone was tired. I tried to make it as interactive as possible to ensure that at least four students got opportunity to speak up. With too many people to speak there was no time for interaction or learning from one another. The journey back was full of fun (and no sleep) as a whole group of senior women and men (some of them barely had teeth) from the State of Bihar kept singing all along... throughout the night, in the train.

A friend of mine whose origins are in Bihar told me that it is a sign that the people were going for a marriage ceremony!

Power of Consumption

I am really wondering over the years on some of the signs of consumerism as it is developing in India. I am of the new age. I can see consumerism happening....developing in this great new India. It must have taken decades elsewhere for building a market economy and create a consumerist world. But it has all happened in 20 years' time, here, down in India. So, I can tell it from experience. Besides the huge malls, snazzy cars, and flaunting parties, there is a tendency that is becoming more and more visible. It is a tendency to monetize or add monetary value to everything that we destroy! Just as we have a value for what we buy or own, we are beginning to add value to what we destroy. This is something extremely dangerous. I'll give you an example. If 20 years ago I were to break a glass, I would have felt bad, and been hurt by remorse. But today, most people don't feel it. They say, "Okay, I am sorry. I shall pay it". This happens with things, utensils, consumables, electricity, water....and with almost anything. A sort of nonchalant attitude. "If my act has done something bad, okay, so what. I shall pay for it, let me know how much does it cost?"

This attitude has two dangers: firstly, it increases the desire to spend, waste and destroy; secondly, it creates a tendency in human persons that anything that is destroyed can be recreated. It is not true! You cannot recreate most things that we have destroyed. Carbon credits may pay you, but they cannot bring back the lives of millions of trees. You may pay for the electricity, but you cannot bring back the spent energy. You may break something that is "valuable" to someone else. You may pay for it, but you cannot bring back the valuable.

It is easier to have plenty and enjoy plenty. But it is difficult to say no to have more even if you have plenty with you. The result of the virtue of contentment is joy. Chasing achievements is stress.