Himalaya Trust

SAMVEDNA: A PROGRAMME FOR HELPING EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

July 15,1999

Devendra Bahuguna
Village & P.O. Silyara,
Via Ghansali, Distt. Tehri Garhwal

Introduction

The inhabitants of Uttarakhand have always not only struggled to survive from natural disasters but also never relented from their developmental responsibilities. In this decade, severe earthquakes, landslides, and forest fires have caused havoc among the people. They had barely recovered from the tragedy of the Uttarkashi earthquake in 1991 when, within ten years, catastrophic landslides at Malpa in Kumaon and Ukhimath in Garhwal occurred in August 1998, followed by a severe earthquake on March 29, 1999 in Garhwal. Although the casualties in the latter were not so high, a detailed survey revealed that thousands of families were rendered homeless. Village after village were flattened and standing houses became uninhabitable. The earthquake-affected people sought shelter in improvised huts in the open under the nocturnal threat of man-eating leopards and at the mercy of the rains. They dared not enter their damaged houses and piles of rubble lay around them. The poorest families, such as widows, orphans, and the physically handicapped were left in a pitiable condition.

During the month following the earthquake, relief material arrived like a flood but only to villages near motor roads. The distant villages even today, after six months, consist of temporary shelters covered with cloth. In the hope of securing relief material, people have been drawn from their houses to roads, government offices, and voluntary agencies.


		CONTENTS Objective Philosophy Role and Approach Advocacy and Campaigns Samvedna Summary of Activities Network Financial Assistance HOME
				SAMVEDNA: A PROGRAMME FOR HELPING EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS July 15,1999 Devendra Bahuguna Village & P.O. Silyara, Via Ghansali, Distt. Tehri Garhwal Introduction The inhabitants of Uttarakhand have always not only struggled to survive from natural disasters but also never relented from their developmental responsibilities. In this decade, severe earthquakes, landslides, and forest fires have caused havoc among the people. They had barely recovered from the tragedy of the Uttarkashi earthquake in 1991 when, within ten years, catastrophic landslides at Malpa in Kumaon and Ukhimath in Garhwal occurred in August 1998, followed by a severe earthquake on March 29, 1999 in Garhwal. Although the casualties in the latter were not so high, a detailed survey revealed that thousands of families were rendered homeless. Village after village were flattened and standing houses became uninhabitable. The earthquake-affected people sought shelter in improvised huts in the open under the nocturnal threat of man-eating leopards and at the mercy of the rains. They dared not enter their damaged houses and piles of rubble lay around them. The poorest families, such as widows, orphans, and the physically handicapped were left in a pitiable condition. During the month following the earthquake, relief material arrived like a flood but only to villages near motor roads. The distant villages even today, after six months, consist of temporary shelters covered with cloth. In the hope of securing relief material, people have been drawn from their houses to roads, government offices, and voluntary agencies. Next Section >> Page last updated: Sunday, February 13, 2000 274/II Vasant Vihar Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh 248 006 India Tel: 91.135.773081 Fax: 91.135.620334 Email: [email protected]