Rapid Need Assessment flood 2014, Tehsil Wazirabad district Gujranwala- Punjab-Pakistan

Submitted to UNOCHA

Submitted by

Nasir Mehmood Ghuman Executive Director

Rural Development Organization

1 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

FLOOD SITUATION OF THE AREA District Gujranwala remained highly prone due to flash flood of 2014. This is the most worst affected district of province of the Punjab in current flood situation. Current flood-2014 has left much catastrophic impact on women and children population, leaving them in the web of increased protection, social and economic vulnerabilities. The flood affected population particularly most vulnerable communities including female headed families are in situation of food shortage, shelter need, health & hygiene, protection of children and their livestock. This recurrent flood, 2014 has added miseries into their existing problems blowing up protection problems for vulnerable women and their families also. The flood 2014 has played havoc with the lives and the livelihoods of the affected areas. Hundreds of villages have been flooded under 4 to 5 feet deep water, while standing crops on thousands of acres of agricultural lands destroyed. In different rain-related and house collapses incidents 4 people killed up-till now since flood situation occurred. Floods also washed away crops on thousands of acres of farmlands in Gujranwala. People took refuge on their rooftops, at height places and in school buildings. The flood affected areas are left at the mercy of nature in this district due to the negligence of district administration.

RDO conducted rapid need assessment in Wazirabad Tehsil during flood situation to respond the emergency in regard of Rashan distribution, shelter, medical support etc. This rapid need assessment is conducted for initial response in the Tehsil Wazirabad, the most affected area of the District Gujranwala. Out of 1070 affected families in 9 assessed villages more than 500 families have lost their shelters, more than 200 livestock (sheep & goats) dead, dry Rashan (wheat & rice) had destroyed by the recent flood. No death toll is recorded in Wazirabad however dozens of people are recorded injured. The recent flood also destroyed thousands acres land of agriculture and standing crops. The majority of community is dependent agriculture and livestock. People of this area grow Rice People crossing water to reach the access road, teh. Wazirabad crop, wheat, red chili, onion and potato. In current situation the population here is in great risk of food in security due to recent flood. Approximately 80% of poultry died in flood however the remaining livestock, like buffaloes, cows, goats, sheep etc have less possibility of survival due to unavailability of fodder.

Besides damaging the livelihood assets and other infrastructure, the flood also destroyed the communication and transmission system of affected areas, and affected population was left with no choice but to live on roads and to their nearby relatives. The water has risen at both sides of the houses. Being saline and contaminated water women and children are in great danger; the flood water is causing Diarrhea, Malaria, scabies, cholera and many skin diseases due to poor hygienic practices.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSESSMENT The overall objective of this assessment was to gauge the situation of flood affected population in worst tehsil of Wazirabad, district Gujranwala in Punjab and identify areas of possible intervention to assist them.

The specific objectives of the assessment are as follows:

 To establish a good understanding of the entire humanitarian crisis by effective consultations with affected population to control the situation 2 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

 To assess the emergency needs of the flood affected population of tehsil Wazirabad, Gujranwala  To identify most vulnerable segments of flood affected population and understand the challenges being faced by them.  To provide recommendations for immediate and medium to long term actions needed to assist the flood affected population of tehsil, Wazirabad- Gujranwala.

METHODOLOGY RDO Team conducted FGDs with effected men, women and children groups. The respondents were randomly selected from the village population at road side. Recognizing the traditional and conservative culture in the area, the team made sure to incorporate interviews with women headed households in the assessment process. Therefore, the team tried to interview such households through ‘deliberate sample selection’ wherever possible.

SELECTION OF TARGET LOCATIONS Keeping in view the limitations, the team tried to focus on those areas where still no any organization/agency reached or having limited access. As since last one week villages are stuck under water but very less humanitarian organization are reached over the said union council for the support to those communities. The team was also able to visit a very brief part of the affected area that was under water. SELECTION OF RESPONDENTS The team used both purposive and random sampling techniques to select respondents. The types of respondents selected are as follows:

Men, women and children affected by rains and floods

TIMELINE The entire period of assessment from beginning with an initial planning meeting and ending with the preparation of the draft report covered a period of 03 days. The assessment itself was conducted over a period of two consecutive days from September 6-8, 2014.

TECHNIQUES Participatory techniques were utilized to get basic information from a range of respondents including men, women & children. These techniques helped in collecting both qualitative and limited quantitative data in terms of loss /damages. Qualitative data comprising, type of basic needs, degree of challenges, quality and degree of assistance provided or not, people’s perceptions, beliefs and experiences

RDO team conducting FGD with affected community etc. The collected quantitative data is comprised of statistics related to deaths, injured, damages of households and livestock, crops and other assets. Following are some of the techniques adopted:

 Focus Group Discussions  Key Informant Interviews  Transect Walk & Observations 3 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

KEY FINDINGS

Village Size The assessment teams were able to reach 9 villages and conducted the FGDs. The village size varied from one to the other. The average size of the village was 90-180 households. The household size observed was 7 members averagely where people live in extended families system.

Social construction of communities The affected area host different caste groups. Each and every caste groups have branches representing different clans. Overall, Muslims are in majority but the in some villages minority communities also living. Punjabi is the vastly spoken language. About 60 % of the villagers are tenants/formers called “Muzaray” in Punjabi language. Social relationships within the community are good at the grass roots level, whereas the power distance exists. Internal lending on interest is carried out at local level whereas the some local institutions also provide microfinance to the communities.

Livelihoods Patterns Agriculture: is the largest source of earning for 90% community members in the villages. It was observed that 60% of the community members are tenants. The Tenancy pattern includes the shared cropping. Rice, red chili, potatoes, onion and vegetables are grown in the area. The areas had established irrigation system which is feed by the local canal and through tube wells.

Livestock: It was observed during the exercise that the farming communities keep livestock at large. On the average a farmer keeps one large and two small animals and in addition 4-5 poultry. The large ruminants include Buffalo and cows which are the main source of milk production. Goats and sheep contribute to fulfill the meat needs of the local market. Bulls are kept as local transportation mode through bullock cart. Bulls are also used for ploughing purpose as well. During the survey it found that large ruminants remained safe, small ruminants affected at little however approximately 80% poultry of the affected area lost and died in flood.

Availability of Basic needs and social Services It was observed through the FGDs that the water and sanitation services at village level were of worst condition. Because water is contaminated in affected area and the ground water is salty and people of the area used to take drinking water from different points through donkey carts. Drainage system has been collapsed due to heavy flood. Low literacy rate, poverty and lack of awareness put the community at low with respect to hygiene condition. The water and sanitation facilities were not good enough at the village level.

Housing patterns Housing pattern in the areas is (kacha), kacha pakka and in some pakka. The housing construction is subjected to the wellbeing of the household. The majority of people living at the village level are poor earning their livelihoods through tenant farming, casual labor and on-farm labor. The housing pattern of the community was not flood resistant. Settlements in the villages in pre flood situation did not follow any specific construction method or settlement approach. While health and hygiene conditions are reported worse for migrants and affectees of these areas.

Health Health infrastructure developed by Government includes the Basic health units at UC level where no medicines and lady health workers found at urgency. Due to the bad condition of health facilities mostly

4 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala cases are referred to District Hospital Gujranwala and Lahore. Civil hospital is available at Tehsil level. Few private physicians have the clinics at the UC level who charge the high fees from the community. The traditional birth attendants handle the child birth cases at village level. These birth attendants are not trained in handling the cases. The children and pregnant women on the average are malnourished. Awareness level of community about the dengue, malaria and other contagious diseases is below average. Rural health needs, friendly spaces for Breast feed, safe and clean deliveries are need to address them on priority.

OVERVIEW ON IMPACT OF THE FLOOD During the course of rapid needs assessment in flood affected villages of Tehsil Wazirabad, district Gujranwala the size of participants in each FGD was on the average of 10-14. The FGDs were conducted separately with Men, Women and children groups. During the course of assessment 5 FGDs were conducted with men and 2 with women groups and 2 with children. FGDs were conducted with the following guidelines.

FGDs covered the thematic areas of damages, losses and immediate response. The sectors covered include WASH, Education, and Shelter, NFIs, protection, emergency food security and livelihoods. In all the surveyed villages, displacement due to continuous heavy rains and floods was reported. In most cases, displacement had been on an individual basis, and chaotic. Many families displaced after the start of the flood. Some families remained behind as long as possible to guard their homes and valuables. Heavy losses to livestock, poultry, agriculture land, communication and agriculture related infrastructure and communication means have been reported and observed by the assessment team. The houses have been badly affected due to heavy rain fall in the area.

IMPACT ON WATER AND SANITATION Floods posed a high risk of water contamination due to an increase in open defecation and open source of drinking water. During the assessment it is found that in the affected villages several hand pumps in the affected areas are submerged in flood water however, the water drawn from such sources appears to be turbid and possibly contaminated (Direct observation & Community feedback). The increased level of water left the villages with 3-4 feet standing water. The underground water is not available for drinking. The district administration is unable to generate the response such level. The information collected revealed that 95% community has no access to the safe drinking water. The Human waste, dead animals and human waste has contaminated the water sources. The communities do not have access to the water for bathing and cleaning. Women have specific needs which they do not access to at present. Floods have multifold impact on the sanitation structure at all levels as well. The solid waste conditions have become worst. Slinging water and human waste has contributed to the miserable conditions. Open defecation practice is being adopted by the community as latrine facilities have been demolished.

FOOD All the assessed villages in Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala are found to be in need of food as food reserves (wheat and rice) are severely damaged whereas fodder for the animals. Lactating mothers, pregnant women and children are in dire need of food for their survival. A number of reasons were cited for the reduction and/or lack of food stocks in the homes: Standing crop of Rice destroyed badly due to flood

5 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

 People have less cash to purchase food items for a number of reasons  Lack of work opportunities and therefore income for daily workers  As Rice crops are cash crops, people have lost that income  Some families had many expenses related to their displacement (arranging transport for displacement/return, rental of houses in displacement areas, etc)  Some markets are not functional (see Livelihood section above)  Where markets are functional, a high rate of inflation has been noted  Floods and road blocks due to damage do not permit people to access markets easily  Livestock have died, disappeared (lost), sold at lower prices or are not in good condition, resulting in lack of milk, eggs and meat  Some existing stocks like wheat grain have been damaged due to floods and being used by the local people for livestock intake

IMPACT ON SHELTER AND NFIs Heavy rains and floods caused habitations to collapse and/or develop major cracks and/or had their roofs blown off. The majority of the habitations affected were found in all villages. In many places the standard of the affected habitations was already poor due to poor workmanship and/or use of poor quality building materials such as pole and mud. In addition, most of the affected habitations were localized in areas prone to Many houses collapsed during flood flooding such as the flood plains and riverbanks. It was observed that the community members were unable to get the non-food items out of the houses. Some of the belongings were rescued by the villagers. The adobe houses collapsed and all the belongings were left under the debris. In some of the areas older people were not willing to leave owing to emotional attachment with the area. In all villages surveyed, the lack of certain NFIs was highlighted by the local population. In some cases, items were damaged when the house was hit by the floods. It must also be noted that some of the areas visited are generally poor and this survey did not compare pre- and during flood availability of NFIs. The population highlighted their priority needs in terms of NFIs as the following (in descending order of importance):

 Kitchen items and hygiene items  Fans, buckets, bedding/mattresses  Clothing and fuel for cooking

Hygiene items include women’s/girls hygiene items – these items are of very high priority for women and girls interviewed. Women and girls also stated that due to lack of sanitary items during displacement, they are facing lot of problems.

IMPACT ON HEALTH Floods have disrupted the health facilities at UC level. The out-reach workers are unable to continue their services.

RDO SERVICES FOR THE FLOOD AFFECTEES

Organizational background

6 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

RDO was registered with Social Welfare department under Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies Registration and control ordinance 1961 Government of Pakistan in Gujranwala. Its board of directors has 7 members from various strata of life. RDO is a non-profit, unprejudiced and humanitarian organization. We have been working with the community for last almost 14 years and have experience of management in sectors like emergency & relief, poverty alleviation, human rights, political rights, health, peace building, education and women’s development. We have a vast working experience in mass mobilization, community awareness, advocacy, capacity building and arranging of seminars, dialogues, conferences, workshops, walks, rallies, focal group discussions and meetings on social, political and economic issues.

The aid efforts of flood comprised of different phases. The first was the rescue efforts, which were mainly carried out by the people themselves in flood areas. After few days our RDO team including volunteers reached at affected places and started relief activities. The flood of 2014 affected hundreds of villages of tehsil Wazirabad and left severe unmet impacts on the life of affectees. In the light of above mentioned destruction RDO took initiative and started his relief work to

rehabilitate and recue Cooked food distribution to the affectees by RDO the affected people. As a first step, RDO formed a volunteers committee. Initially it consisted of 20 members, but later on it was extended to 30 members. The Committee’s main responsibility was to look after RDO camps in Tehsil

Medial aid camp for flood affectees by RDO Wazirabad-Gujranwala. Our relief aid primarily obtained by charity, and is being administered on a day to day basis. RDO providing the displaced persons with medical facilities by arranging private doctors and medical camps with other Volunteers and medical students, who could then provide free checkups to the people. RDO is also distributing cooked food to the flood affectees for the last 4 years. Up-til now we have access to 1000 people affected by the flood. we are in planning to enhance our support to more than 5000 people which are in critical situation.

PRIORITY NEEDS Now the Government and the National and International community need to help these people in the process of the relief and rehabilitation. In present situation people are in dire need to support food, fodder for animal, NFIs, shelter provision urgently, as in the coming days the weather will change drastically, leaving the people in vulnerable state. In the winter season, the situation will worsen, if their living conditions are not improved. They have no blankets, no beds and no heating for winter season. Food: As mentioned that food conditions also worst and people displaced and they don’t have money to buy food and currently only some social workers provided food but no step has been taken by government up-til now. Water and sanitation includes: provision of safe drinking water through water trucks, waste management, sewage/drainage systems, emergency latrines etc. Health services includes: health facilities in general, specific services such as pre and post natal care, vaccination for malaria control and basic health services including medicines. Shelter & NFIs includes: temporary shelter (Tents, Transitional shelter) and hygiene kits, women’s/girls hygiene items, kitchen items, and clothing Fodder for animal: Flood has collapsed all standing corps and fodder. Survival for remaining animal is very necessary in this regard animal feed (Wanda) and medicines to the farmers is needed. 7 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

ANNEXES

A LIST OF ASSESSED VILLAGES

Distt. Teh. UC Village HHs Women Men Children Total Burali 65 130 118 207 455 Chak ali Sher 70 135 124 231 490

wlai Ratto wali 72 139 122 261 504 Mansoor Mansoor Kot Kalwan 36 72 66 114 252 Burj Tallah 285 521 514 960 1995 Peeran wali 55 112 100 173 385 Thathi blooch 360 655 644 1221 2520

Cheema Delawar Delawar Burj Cheema 250 456 442 852 1750 Kot Imam Buksh 30 66 52 92 210 Nogran 93 170 160 319 651

Wazirabad Gujranwala Bahram 150 278 261 511 1050

Rana 107 198 189 362 749 Naharkay 135 255 248 442 945 Pattokay 87 165 160 284 609 Tallywala 110 200 191 379 770

Winjuwali Nathokay 100 191 178 331 700 Ramgarh 170 310 302 578 1190 Laveri wala 118 220 205 401 826 Total 2293 4273 4076 7718 16051

RELIEF PACKAGE NEEDED FOR FLOOD EMERGENCY

Rashan Package per Household

Total Total No. S.No Commodity Qnt. In kg Unit cost Amount of Kits 1 wheat flour 40 45 1800 2 Pulses 4 150 600 3 Cooking oil/ghee 5 200 1000 500 4 High energy Biscuit(HEB) 1-1/2 kg 250 375 5 Salt 1 kg 40 40 6 Milk 2 kg 110 220 Total 49 795 4035 Total amount for Rashan Package per Household is Rs. 2,017,500/-

8 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

Health & Hygiene kits

Per Unit Total Total No. of S.No Items Qnt. Cost amount kits Hand towel measuring approximately 16" 1 1 90 90 x 28" 2 Bath towel (18x36) 1 200 200 3 Bath soap 6 50 300 4 Washcloth soap packets 2 140 280 5 Tooth paste 2 80 160 500 6 Tooth brush 2 70 140 7 Combs 3 10 30 8 Nail cutter 1 30 30 9 Piodine 1 50 50 10 Packet of standard size Bandages 1 120 120 11 Scissor 1 100 100 Total PKR 21 940 1500 Total Amount health and hygiene kits is Rs. 750,000/-

Winterization kits

S. Amount Total No. Items Quantity Per Unit Cost No PKR of Kits 1 Quilt 2 800 1600 2 Sleeping Mate (mattress) 2 2000 4000 3 Floor Sheet/Ground Mat (10X12) 1 1000 1000 4 Winter Jacket Adult (M/F)-Standard Size 2 400 800 Winter Jacket Children (children M/F)- 5 2 250 500 under 12 years old 500 6 Ladies Winter Shawl standard size 2 250 500 Mail winter shawl standard size 2 300 600 Socks ( Small & Large)-for children and 7 3+3 50 300 elder 8 Cover Sheet of Kit 1 200 200 Total PKR 20 5250 9500 Total amount for winterization kits is Rs. 4,750,000/-

9 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

Livestock Fodder

S. Per Unit Total No. Items Quantity Amount PKR No Cost of Kits 1 Animal fodder (Wanda) bags 60kg 2 2000 4000 500 2 Tab. Albendazol 10 20 200 Total 12 2,020 4200 Total amount for livestock fodder kits is Rs. 2,100,000/

Total Budget:

Per Unit S. No Items Quantity Amount PKR Cost 1 Rashan Package kits 500 4,035 2,017,500/- 2 Winterization kits 500 9,500 4,750,000/- 3 Health & Hygiene kits 500 1,500 750,000/- 4 Livestock fodder kit 500 4200 2,100,000/- 4 Warehouse rent 1 20,000 20,000/- Vehicle rent (Transportation from 5 1 40,000 40,000/- warehouse to target areas) 6 Miscellaneous 1 50,000 50,000/- 2,003 129,235 9,727,500 Total

10 Rural Development Organization (RDO)-Rapid Need Assessment of Flood-2014-Tehsil Wazirabad-Gujranwala

PICTORIAL VIEW:

A woman crossing flood water with her two babies Village under deep flood water

Affectees are being rescuedLarge scaleby RDO area team under deep flood water of UC: Winjuwali

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