7th June: Daily Report of relief works at Bali 1 and Bali 2 panchayets of Goshaba block. 

Before initiating the work, we have intimated the District Magistrate of 24-parganas(S) for doing relief work as per the request by the Chief Minister on electronic media. 

We reached Satyanarayanpur 1 sansad under Bali I of Goshaba block on June 6^th, 2009 with a volunteer’s relief team of  35 nos. Our first team of seven members who went early was engaged in situational need analysis of the area of each cluster/ village. Relief team started distributing ‘chinra, gur, and medicines’. At Satyanarayanpur 1 and 2 sansad 862 nos families were distributed for 3 days’ food at a time and 171 persons were provided with medicines (as first aid) by trained RMPs as at the first visit managing doctor was not possible. Major illnesses are diarrhea, dysentery, fever and cold. Bleaching powder and halogen tablets were also distributed to use with water. Many people are living on road at temporary straw shed as they cannot get space for their cattle at the rescue centres- schools/ community halls. Most of the earthen houses have collapsed. Rest are damaged as water are at some low land are still inside the houses. Salty sea water has flooded the area and all the ponds and agricultural lands are even now under water. There will be no crop for coming two/three years till the salt is not removed naturally by rain water. Now their main problem is getting sweet water for drinking and household use. All the stored food grains (from own production) are under water and they have now no way except migrating for begging. 

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We have observed that all the relief works provided at the area are mainly by boat and the river side population get benefited from all the relief providers. Outsider relief providers are not moving to remote areas as they have less knowledge about the areas or they do not like to take risk. This also tends the interior villagers to move to river side taking trouble and leaving their families alone. Our team has moved inside the villages with relief to avoid this with help and guidance of some local clubs and CBOs.

We have made a rapport with local clubs – Shyamnagar Pragati Sangha, Kalyan Sangha and Pritilata Mahila Samiti. They helped us a lot in distributing relief goods at remote points. They have suggested pumping out the water from ponds so that sweet water can be percolated from soil. That water can be used for household purposes. 

Relief team is working hard to restore the area. It is feared that area will face a famine in near future. As the habitation of tiger and other wild animals are destroyed animals are entering villages at night as they are hungry for long. All the communication system has got break down. Area price level has gone high. There is a large tussle between the two leading political parties where villagers are like gin pigs to show promise. The condition is going worse day by day and government system is not visible as there is no communication to those panchayats.