Orissa is prone to natural calamities like drought, flood and cyclones. Vikash has always responded to disasters that have occurred in its operational areas. The focus has been to reduce the impact of disaster on vulnerable households.

When the villages were practically inaccessible, Vikash was one of the organizations which started a relief operation on 3^rd November 1999 with an amount of Rs.10,000 at its disposal.  It was difficult to procure and transport food but Vikash volunteers started procuring food materials available in local shops and individual households. Instead of distributing relief, Vikash facilitated community kitchens in the villages. Through the method of community kitchens, only those people directly affected by the conditions and who were really needy approached the kitchen. The community kitchen not only strengthened the community feeling among the villagers but also served as a feast (PANGAT), where the the people were able to relieve their agony for a short time.

Summer cum Monsoon Shelter

The cyclone had destroyed all the thatched houses.  People were living under the sky. For immediate shelter, low-cost community shelters were constructed in all the cyclone- affected blocks of Puri district with support from UNDP.

Rehabilitation

A short-term rehabilitation programme was undertaken in Gop block.  Quality seeds and seedlings were arranged in a limited way for the farmers.  In order to provide immediate income and shelter during high floods, mounds were built up in the low-lying villages.  There is a proposal to build houses on these raised platforms in the future.  Bore wells for agricultural purposes were arranged so that poor families could undertake a crop in the winter season.

Permanent Shelter

Vikash is making efforts to arrange cyclone-proof houses for the very poor and destitute.   One small room of 160 sq.ft. can save the lives and property of a family during a disaster.  It also costs a lot of money every year for households to maintain thatched houses.  Vikash is also undertaking construction of school-cum-cyclone shelters and community shelter-cum-production centre in the vulnerable localities.

Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP)

Vikash had started a community based disaster preparedness plan before the super cyclone in 1999.   Because of our past experience, CARE entrusted Vikash to undertake a pilot activity on CBDP.  At present, Vikash is making the CBDP in its adopted villages with support from Swiss Agency for Development & Co-operation.

Mason Training

Trained masons were in short supply after the super cyclone to undertake the reconstruction activities.  It was a massive problem. The Government of Orissa requested NGOs to help in training masons. Vikash took the lead in creating a band of trained masons. It worked as a nodal agency for NGOs to prepare proposals for financial assistance from CAPART. We also trained the local NGO personnels and master trainers.

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