Uttarakhand Flood Relief

RAMAKRISHNA MISSION SEVASHRAMA (A Branch of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah, WB)

P.O. Kankhal—249408 Haridwar (Uttarakhand) Phone: (01334) 244176, 246141, 244984 Fax: (01334) 244985 Email: [email protected] Website: www.rkmkankhal.org In the wake of the unprecedented devastation caused by cloud-burst and flash floods in a major portion of Uttarakhand from 15 to 17 June 2013, the Disaster Management Cell of the Indian Government had requested the Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal, to take up relief work for the flood- affected people of Uttarakhand.

Under the instructions of its headquarters at Belur Math, Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal (Haridwar), undertook a massive relief work in the affected areas from 21 June to

4 August 2013.

Besides their multifarious permanent constructive works, from their very inception, the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission have been promptly organizing ameliorative and healing services whenever the nation has been faced with calamities caused by the freaks of nature, follies of men, or scourges of epidemic. The relief activities have also extended well beyond Indian borders.

The history of the Ramakrishna Order’s relief services is as old as that of the Mission itself. Once, while going on a pilgrimage with Mathur Babu, Sri Ramakrishna came to Deoghar and saw many people suffering from hunger. He told Mathur Babu, “Give them a full meal at least for one day.” But that meant spending a large amount of money. Mathur Babu kept silent. Sri Ramakrishna then said, “Unless you feed them I won’t go any further with you,” and went and sat among those poor people. Then Mathur Babu fed them to their heart’s content.

Swami Vivekananda also did not hesitate for a moment to think of selling the newly established Belur Math premises to serve the people suffering from the plague epidemic that struck Calcutta in May 1898.

To date the Ramakrishna Mission and Math have together conducted hundreds of relief works in India, Burma, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other countries during calamities and hardships issuing from such a variety of causes as famines, floods, fires, epidemics, cyclones, tornados, riots, earthquakes, landslides and droughts.

Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal, too conducted two massive relief works in the past: Uttarkashi Earthquake Relief in 1991 and Chamoli Earthquake Relief in 1999.

This time also, soon after the disaster struck the hills of Uttarakhand from 15 to 17 June 2013, a team of monks, doctors and volunteers reached Agastmuni in Rudraprayag district and set up relief camp there on 21 June.

As the road connectivity slowly improved and Government officials promised to support, the team moved to more remote and high terrain areas; the relief camp was shifted from Agastmuni to Guptkashi on 1 July.

From 21 June to 4 August 2013, the team served 8240 flood-affected families of 114 villages in Rudraprayag district with various basic necessities, such as cooked food, daily ration, milk powder, blankets, garments, torches, solar lanterns, utensils, etc.

Besides, more than 2307 flood-affected patients were treated in the medical camps set up at Ganganagar, Agastmuni, Jalmala, Jaltalla, Kotma, Chillon, Chowmasi, Kalimath, Kabiltha, Syasu, Khunnu, Semi, Phata, Dewar, Syala, Tuydi and Guptkashi villages of Rudraprayag district.

A dozen of Ramakrishna Order monks were engaged in the relief work in Agastmuni, Guptkashi and nearby areas. They conducted door-to-

5 door survey to find out the really needy people. They trekked miles in hilly terrains, crossed the gushing rivers by makeshift ropeways and distributed Relief Coupons to the needy and the afflicted in the remote and inaccessible areas.

Upon production of the Coupons, relief materials were later on distributed to the victims from the different distribution camps.

The work was hazardous and strenuous. The inclement weather, heavy rainfall and bad road condition made the task all the more difficult. Owing to bad road condition, transportation of materials to the relief camps was being hampered to a great extent.

From 11 July 2013, the Government provided us with helicopter service. With helicopters being available, relief materials were airlifted from Guptkashi to the affected areas and distributed to the needy and affected people.

A Brief Report of DISTRIBUTION of Relief Materials for the period from 23 June to 4 August 2013

Items Place Beneficiaries Food Packets, Agastmuni village and 5,000 people Milk Powder, surrounding areas of Drinking Water Rudraprayag 82 villages in Ration Bags 3414 families Rudraprayag district

Kitchen Utensils One sweeper colony in (bucket, karai, hata, Uttarkashi and 3551 families tawa, katora, glass, 52villages in thala, etc.) Rudraprayag district 35 villages in Pressure Cookers 1568 families Rudraprayag district One sweeper colony in Uttarkashi and 47 Blankets 3332 families villages in Rudraprayag district 17 villages in Solar Lanterns 1572 families Rudraprayag district Chaddars, Dhotis, 46 villages in 3232 familes Saris Rudraprayag district

A Detailed Report of DISTRIBUTION of Relief Materials for the period from 23 June to 4 August 2013

Date Place Items Beneficiaries

Food Packet, 1,000 23 June Agastmuni Milk Powder, families Drinking Water (aaprox.)

Ration Bags (containing 5 kg rice, 2 kg dal, 1 Agastmuni, Vijaynagar, kg sugar, 500 25 June 90 families Sorgorh, Sili and Rampur gm soyabean, 500 gm salt, 100 gm haldi, 100 gm mirchi, etc.) 30 June Vijaynagar and Ganganagar Ration Bags 66 families

Chandrapur and Basukedar Ration Bags 50 families

Chira, Atta, Sugar, Gur, 20 villages situated Dalia, Biscuits, 1 July between Rudraprayag and Salt, Bun, Rusk, 600 families Gaurikund Milk Powder, Cake, Candles, Matchboxes Ration Bags Chandrapur and Chaka 28 families

Kharia, Dhargaw, Khat, 4 July Trijugi, Narayan and Ration Bags 540 families Kongad Ration Bags (containing 10 Barasu, Rail Gaw, Khat, kg rice, 5 kg 5 July 131 families Dhani atta, 2 kg soyabean, 2 kg dal, 1 kg milk

Date Place Items Beneficiaries

powder, 2 kg salt, candles, matchbox) Agastmuni Ration Bags 109 families

Kitchen Utensils Chaka, Chameli, Chandrapuri, Rumsi, (Bucket, karai, 7 July 500 families Jawaharnagar, Vijaynagar, hata, tawa, Ganganagar and Kirora katora, glass, thala, etc.)

Gur, Chira, Utensils, 8 July Uttarkashi 100 families Polythene Sheets, Blankets

Jalmala, Jaltala, Kotma, 11 July Ration Bags 262 families Chilond, Sashu

12 July Jalmala and Chilond Ration Bags 62 families

Kalimath, Kunjethi, 14 July Beukhi, Jaggi-Bagwan, Ration Bags 513 families Bedula, Barasu

Kalimath, Kunjethi, Beukhi, Jaggi-Bagwan, 15 July Khunnu, Kabiltha, Manjera, Ration Bags 204 families Chowmasi, Jaltala, Syamsu, Jalmala

Kotma, Khunnu, Kabiltha, 16 July Ration Bags 138 families Manjera, Sullu

17 July Gaurigram Ration Bags 30 families

Date Place Items Beneficiaries

Tinsuli, Guptkashi, Salya, Sherwani, Khumera, Kabiltha, Kotma, 18 July Kachgona, Barmari, Fegu, Ration Bags 169 families Nagjagai

Tinsuli, Guptkashi, Salya, Sherwani, Khumera, Kabiltha, Kotma, Kachgona, Bhinoli, Dewli, 20 July Pithora, Bhanigaon, Ration Bags 267 families Ghaghora, Pandhara, Lamgondi, Phaila, Syasu, Loara

Tinsuli, Guptkashi, Salya, Sherwani, Khumera, Kabiltha, Kotma, Kachgona, Bhinoli, Dewli, 21 July Pithora, Bhanigaon, Ration Bags 100 families Ghaghora, Pandhara, Lamgondi, Phaila, Syasu, Loara 23 July Semi Solar Lanterns 68 families Fegu, Nagjagai, Lamgondi, 25 July Andwari, Tulunga, Ration Bags 130 families Sherwani, Lowara 26 July Semi and Kund Ration Bags 25 families Kotma,Chilon, Chaumasi, Solar Lanterns, Jalmala, Jaltala, Manjera, Blankets, Kabiltha, Syasu, Solnu, Chaddars, 29 July 850 families Khunnu Dhotis, Saris, Umbrellas, Tawa, Plates Kotma,Chilon, Chaumasi, 30 July Jalmala, Jaltala, Manjera, As above 769 families Kabiltha, Syasu, Solnu,

Date Place Items Beneficiaries

Triyuginarayan, Kalimath, Kunjethi, Bedula, Beukhi, Jaggi-bagwan, Kongarh, Khunnu Sherwani, Pithora, Pressure Kachgona, Bhunigram, Cookers, Dweli, Lowni, Blankets, 31 July Andrawani, Khera, Salya, Chaddars, 651 families Bhinoli, Loara, Devangan, Dhotis, Saris, Tulunga, Pandara, Khat, Bowl, Glass, Dhani, Phaila, Jamu Torch Nagjagai, Shang, Tinsuli, 1 August Lamgundi, Phaila, Fegu, As above 281 families Fegu-tat, Jokholi Nala, Dewar, Rudrapur, 2 August Bansu, Tewri, Khumera, As above 174 families Guptkashi, Semi, Vaisari Nala, Dewar, Rudrapur, Bansu, Tewri, Khumera, 3 August As above 190 families Guptkashi, Semi, Sankri, Vaisari Kund, Nyalsu, Phata, 4 August Rabigram, Sankri, As above 272 families Guptkashi, Taltali Total 114 villages 8240 families

A Comprehensive Report of TOTAL SUPPLY of Relief Materials For the period from 23 June to 26 July 2013

Items Quantity Expenses (Rs.) Atta (flour) 17,500 kg 3,07,924/- Bed Sheets 1949 nos. 3,27,250/- Biscuits 4080 packets 19,240/- Blankets 4,900 nos 1,60,000/ (3,500 blankets were received from the HQ) Buckets 865 nos. 54,730/- Buns 8000 packets Received as Donation Candles 1587 packets 1,81,816/- Chaddars (wrappers) 530 nos. 1,10,000/- Chappals 4 bags Received as Donation Chira (rice flake) 3280 kg 1,049,60/- Dal (lentil) 5598 kg 2,18,416/- Dalia (broken wheat) 500 kg 17,000/- Dhotis 2240 nos. 2,06,900/- Empty Boxes 700 nos. 9,800/- Empty Plastic Bags 700 nos. 3,800/- Mattresses 3 nos. Received as Donation Food Packets 5000 packets Received as Donation Garments 250 packets Received as Donation Glasses 2200 nos. 40,006/- Gur (molasses) 400 kg 14,000/- Haldi (turmeric) 72.8 kg Rs. 5,434/- Ladles 600 nos. 8,550/- Karai (cooking vessel) 849 nos. 50,576/- Katora (bowl) 4000 nos. 43,944/- Matchboxes 9660 boxes 9,840/- Medicines 12 cartons 93,776/- Milk Powder 2192 kg 4,97,920/- Mirchi (chilli powder) 72.6 kg Rs. 6,422/- Mugs 600 nos. Rs. 11,105/- Oil 8.4 litre Received as Donation Polythene Sheets 390 nos. Rs.1,26,240/-

Items Quantity Expenses (Rs.) Porat (big plate) 100 nos. 13,500/- Potatoes 10,000 kg 1,0,6000/- Pressure Cookers 2000 nos. 9,45,000/- Rice 23,678 kg 6,21,547.50/- Rusks 4000 packets Received as Donation Salt 4,468 kg 26,944/- Saris 1840 nos. 2,32,100/- Small Spoons 1000 nos. 8,850/- Solar Lanterns 1572 nos. 6,75,000/- Soyabean 4,384 kg 2,68,710/- Sugar 5,134 kg 1,74,556/- Tawa (griddle) 2100 nos. 1,13,144/- Tea 84 packets Received as Donation T-Shirts 120 nos. Received as Donation Thala (plate) 2000 nos. 1,50,098/- Toothpaste 150 packets Received as Donation Torches 1500 nos. 20874/- Umbrellas 1500 nos. Rs. 1,44,825/- Mineral Water 2500 litre Received as Donation Total Rs 61,30,798/-*

Rupees Sixty-One Lakh Thirty Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-Eight Only.

*excluding transportation costs and other establishment costs

A Comprehensive Report of MEDICAL CAMPS for the period from 23 June to 4 August 2013*

Date Place Patients Treated 26 June Ganganagar 135

27 June to 5 July Agastmuni 532

7 to 21 July Jalmala, Jaltalla, Kotma, 650 Chillon, Chowmasi, Kalimath, Kabiltha, Syasu, Khunnu

23 to 28 July Semi, Phata, Dewar, Syala, 385 Tyudi 29 to 4 August Guptkashi 605 Total 2307

* Medical Camp is being continued at Guptkashi even after 4 August 2013.

We express our sincere gratitude to all the volunteers and devotees for their painstaking hard work in these relief activities. We also extend our cordial thanks to all the donors, benevolent organizations, government officials and others for their participation and cooperation in this noble endeavour.

May the blessings of the Lord shower upon all!

Yours sincerely, Swami Nityashuddhananda Secretary

Kankhal, Haridwar Date: 5 August 2013