Background
LWSI started working in Orissa in the mid '70s and by now
has worked in all the 30 present districts of the state
at some point of time. Sinking of drinking water tube
wells is one of the major activities of LWSI. In LWSI,
the concept of 'Disaster Preparedness' was evolved in the
late 1990s. The ongoing tube well sinking activity was
taken up as an entry point programme for disaster
preparedness. It gave us an opportunity to come closer to
the community people, know them and their needs, their
capacities and strengths. In 1998, the government of
Orissa entrusted LWSI with sinking of 800 tube wells
through the Tenth Finance Commission Award (TFCA). This
work was hampered by the devastating Super Cyclone of
1999 in Orissa. LWSI took up intensive relief and
rehabilitation work in several coastal districts and
Kendrapara, Jajpur and Ganjam were among them. Slowly,
based on need assessment, LWSI started the Disaster
Preparedness Project (DPP) with a holistic approach in
different districts of Orissa, in close consultation with
the government of Orissa, especially the Orissa State
Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA). Disaster
preparedness project of LWSI works in LRRD (Linking
Relief Rehabilitation to Development) mode. As DPP
strategy, LWSI works in needy communities/villages for 3
to 4 years before withdrawing. Each community passes
through the stages of adoption, intensive activity,
accompaniment and withdrawal during the total project
period of 3/4 years. Duration of each phase varies from
community to community. And before withdrawal, LWSI
always ensures that the community is capable enough to
carry forward the initiatives in a sustainable manner.
Starting after the Super Cyclone of 1999, DPP was
operative in different coastal districts of Orissa.
Several villages in the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Puri
and Bhadrak were also covered.
Present Operation
Disaster Preparedness Project is presently operational in
three districts of Orissa -- Kendrapara, Jajpur and
Ganjam. These coastal districts are among the most
vulnerable ones in the state. While Kendrapara and Jajpur
witness floods more or less every year; Ganjam faces
problems of cyclone, flood and paucity of rain. In 2008,
DPP will operate in 211 partner communities in these
three districts.
Jajpur
Disaster Preparedness Project was initiated in Jajpur
district in 2002. Based on vulnerability, need and
consultation with local government authorities, new
communities were adopted for intervention. In 2007 the
project worked with 100 communities in two blocks of the
district. In 2008, LWSI has withdrawn from 51 of the
above 100 communities. Those communities were adopted in
2003. The project has newly adopted 11 communities in a
nearby vulnerable area, where people had expressed
interest in LWSI's Disaster Preparedness Project.
Therefore, in 2008 DPP will partner with 51 communities
of Badachana block in Jajpur district.
Kendrapara
Kendrapara is a large district. In Kendrapara, DPP was
started in 2001. By taking up villages phase by phase,
LWSI has covered several villages. In 2007, DPP was
operative in 77 communities in Kendrapara, while in 2008
the project will work with 64 communities. LWSI has
withdrawn from 19 operational communities of 2007 and
will adopt 7 new communities for intervention. These
64communities are spread over three blocks of the
district, namely Marshaghai, Kendrapara and Rajkanika.
Ganjam
Intervention in Ganjam under Disaster Preparedness
Project started in 2005. Scenario in Ganjam is quite
different from that of the other two districts. Majority
of the communities are linked to fishing. Education and
sanitation status are very low with high prevalence of
HIV/AIDS. Flesh trade is also common in the area because
of presence of an inter-state border, where hundreds of
truckers spend the night. In 2007 the project worked with
70 communities and in 2008, 16 more communities have been
adopted. LWSI have not worked for four or more years with
any of the communities. Therefore, there has not been any
withdrawal in Ganjam. These 86 operational communities in
Ganjam are in four blocks of the district - Chatrapur,
Rangailunda, Ganjam and Chikiti.
|
