I thought will share some of the testimonials of people still living in marooned villages in Supaul Dt, Bihar. Attached is the portion of the Letter submitted to Supaul District Magistrate written by Swati Maliwal of Parivartan. Many people joined us while giving the complaint each of them representing their wards/ panchayats.
Unfortunately, DM response was indifferent and less considerate however he promised to take some action. We are trying to follow up with our contacts in their panchayats on action taken but much have not moved except for occasional medical team visit. Lot have to be done still.
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To, 11.10.08
DM Supol,
Bihar
Dear Sir,
A team of 2 activists, Swati Maliwal from Parivartan and Somu Kumar from AID-USA visited some of the marooned Panchayats- Manganj Paschim and Manganj Poorvi.
in Triveniganj block, District Supol for two days from 06.10.08 to 08.10.08.
We interacted with many people from different wards of these Panchayats. It has been very painful to witness the condition of the people here and we would like to present some of their stories in our report. For the first half of the trip we could take some photographs and videos of the people we were interviewing. However, later while trying to wade through some waters in order to reach a ward, our camera fell into the water. We were not able to take any more photographs after that but we took down notes.
Kosi having changed its course, is flowing through Manganj Paschim Panchayat. The Panchayat is completely marooned in water. A boat is needed to even travel between the different wards of the Panchayat. However, the people have refused to let go of their lands, their animals and the little hope and protection that they feel in their own area, amongst their own people. Manganj Paschim has a population of 11,000 people. It has 10 wards. At present, there are atleast 300-400 people in each ward. The Ex-Mukhiya of the Panchayat have done some counting and has come up with the figures of around 3500-4000 people still reiding in the Panchayat. When we asked the people of the wards that we visited, i.e. Ward 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, they all confirmed this figure. Plus one look around and a quick head count of the number of people who assembled there confirmed this figure.
The following issues emerged from our interaction with several people from the different wards that we visited, i.e. Wards 4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10.
a. No Government Relief has reached this Panchayat till date.
Upon our interaction with the people, we discovered that no government relief has reached them till date. Even when the food packets were being air dropped, the people informed that not even one packet was dropped in this area. Some even told us that they waived to the helicopter, put a red flag over there roofs, yet no relief was dropped. A few which were dropped were wasted away as they fell in the waters. The people shared that no relief has ever reached them through army boats. The army boats came only for rescue and did not provide relief to any, despite the fact that many chose to remain in this area.
Md Tahir from Mansari Tola, Ward 5 described how he and his family i.e. him, his wife, 6 children and his mother in law remained hungry for the initial 6 days on their roof top. Later, he survived on the grains shared with him by his neighbour. They had 6 animals- 3 cows and 2 goats, out of which one cow died and the others have stopped giving milk as there is no feed available for them. He informed us that no government relief has reached them till date. He explained how till date, they are able to fetch only a single meal a day. Even though he was a labourer, he managed a wholesome three meal along with sufficient milk for his family and sufficient milk before the floods.
Sameena Khatoon, a nine year old girl from Mansari Tola, told us that she gets to eat only once in a day. She had not eaten anything since the past one day.
Resham Lal Sardar s/o Swargiya Palat Sardar described how he was a labourer, yet used to feed the 7 people in his family three times meals before the floods. He always used to drink milk and have green vegetables. However, after the floods, they have to beg around for food and even then they manage only a single meal in a day.
Gita Devi w/o Swargiya Moginder Yadav is a widow. She was scared about leaving her village and that is why refused to leave when the army arrived. She has 6 small daughters. She had 4 acres of land and she used to manage well with that. However, now her standing crop has got submerged, and her house has got washed away. She shared that manier times these days, she is not even getting a single meal in a day. Same is the condition of another widow Sita Devi w/o Swargiya RamChandra Yadav.
Harinandan Yadav s/o Saini Yadav, Ramchandra Yadav s/o Nathan Prasad Yadav and Der Mandal s/o Jagannath Mandal from Ward 3 shared how they have to beg and eat. They told us that they have started taking loans from the local money lenders and that is how they are somehow managing.
Tetar Sardar s/o Romi Sardar from Ward 10 described how he had remained on the nearby Sursur dam (Koriapatti Bridge) for a month without any relief and support from the government. Only 10 packets were air dropped in a population of thousands. Most of these packets also fell in the water or in shit. informed us that there are 7 people in his family .
It is evident after talking to the people that the government failed miserably in providing relief to these marooned people. When the government can provide 3 times meals, 2 times milk, clothes, buckets, utensils, teachers, doctors in a mega camp, why can it not provide even the most basic relief to these people.
The government has announced a grant of Rs 2250 and 1 Quintal grains for flood affected people. However, it has not made arrangements for this grain to be provided inside the villages. The distribution of this grant is happening at the Block office or at some main market in the Block Head Quarters. For Manganj Paschim and Poorvi, the same is happening inTriveniganj Bazaar. The people from marooned villages are coming out with great difficulty. The people from Manganj Paschim informed us that it takes 2 days to reach the head quarters. They have to swim for some portion, hitch a ride on a boat for some portion or simply walk in the water for some period. Upon reaching, many of them are denied their grants. They are told that there name has not been entered in the Ration Card List (A.P.L/ B.P.L). So even though their name exists in the voter list, they are denied their grant and have been told that they would be given the grant after their name is entered in the A.P.L/ B.P.L. list. We met several such people in Manganj Paschim and in Manganj Poorvi. At present, there are atleast 300 people Army came to this area but only to rescue people. It did not bring about any relief material along with it. The people in Manganj Paschim have told us that they did not even receive the They have refused to let go of their animalsThe water, initially in the villages was up to 3-4 ft. the people recall that The people somehow managed for the initial days by climbing up their roofs or trees. Many remained hungry for many days as no government relief reached them.
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"The resources of the world are for us all to share. Let us affirm our faith in that common cause" - Dr. Ilina Sen
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