Monday, January 24 2005 16:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Killer Tsunami - the giant tidal waves unleashed by an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean - that hit the South Indian coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 26, 2004 killed thousands and destroyed billions worth of property and belongings of the people.

As per one estimate around three million families are suffering due to loss of their houses, food stocks and social facilities due to devastation by the tsunami.

What have we all done? Expressed our shocks, sympathy and extended a helping hand, donated money and materials for the relief and rehabilitation of tsunami victims.

There was very extensive media coverage, both electronic and print, of the entire episode. Celebrities and VVIPs visited the spot, met the victims; announced relief and compensation.

Governments, local, national and international NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, Voluntary Initiatives etc have extended their support for the relief and rehabilitation in a massive scale. But all this will be off the radar screens very soon, before rehabilitation really begins.

Is all that over? Is it enough? What next?

Why it is that every-time something of this nature, a massive natural calamity in the form of earthquake, cyclone or flood and landslide happens and claims several thousand lives and property worth billions, then only, we all wake up and show that much of concern and sympathy, support and spirit?

Why is this kind of spirit not shown before it all happens? Why always reactive? Why not pro-active? Why, particularly the Governments, the authorities responsible for the people could not take precautions and pro-active steps taken to stop, avoid or at least to reduce the casualties and mitigate the loss to the human life and property, before hand?

Yes, you and me, ie WE contributed our bit in the form of donations to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund (PMRF) or some other Relief Fund for the Tsunami. So what?

What will happen to that Fund? Where will the money go? Where did the money go in the past during Gujarat earthquake or Orissa Cyclone, to mention the two recent calamities? Were these large PMRF funds carefully monitored?

What are the issues involved in disaster management?

Is it only the immediate relief? By way of throwing some food packets or clothes and medicines to the victims and announcing some cash/kind compensation or is it much more than that?

Who is responsible for the effective implementation of relief and rehabilitation work? How is the PMRF being spent? Who keeps a track of it? Is there any transparency in it?

As citizens of India, We all contributed for PMRF, then is it not OUR responsibility to ask for its account? Whether the relief and rehabilitation has reached the last one of the victims? The Dalits, the Adivasis (tribals), the women, the children, the aged, the physically and now mentally challenged, poor and marginalised, whether all of them got their share/entitlements? Who will take care of the orphan children? Who will support the widowed families? Who will help the girl children?

Is it not our responsibility to find out what went wrong and where? And is it not our duty to set right these lacunas, so that our future (during disasters) is secured, at least, to some extent. Will we be able to develop some methods and mechanisms to overcome some of the simple human errors, casualness or negligence? Are we not responsible to make our future much more secured?

Can we leave all these responsibilities to the Government authorities? Will the Government have that much of sensitive manpower and more importantly, a WILL to do it?

Is rehabilitation only the restoration of economic life by way of re-establishing housing, food, water supply and some livelihood activities to the victims? What about the social, psychological and cultural life of the victims? Who will help them to come out of the psychological trauma they are undergoing? How to re-establish the social and cultural life of the victims?

The complete social and cultural rehabilitation is nothing less than rebuilding of a new civilisation, which is devastated by the tsunami. It means lot of patience, time and long term planning. It will be a continuous process to rebuild the culture and social life of the people. It needs trained, sensitive and committed manpower. Not just the Official Machinery. Let all of US, the people of India, come together to support the victims of tsunami to overcome their trauma by rebuilding their lost culture and civilisation. We will work together till the last one amongst the victims of tsunami gets his/her entitlement and rehabilitate themselves fully in their past social and cultural life or civilisation. Will the Media, the celebrities, VVIPs and all the other concerned parties continue to support this move in the same zeal and spirit; that they all have already shown?

It can be achieved, IF, "WE", the entire Nation, having a consensus on the above, and commit us having the following in line: Let there be a transparent policy and practice in the utilisation of the PMRF.

Let every Indian citizen be kept informed about the way in which the Fund is being spent.

Let there be an independent body to monitor the Fund Utilisation.

Let there be a separate special plan of action to rehabilitate the poorest of the poor and weaker sections amongst the victims.

Let there be a coordination and collaboration between all the agencies - Government, NGO, International and all other voluntary bodies - in reducing the trauma and rebuilding the lost culture and social life of the victims.

Let there be a systematic effort by the Government/authorities to develop a long-term strategy to effectively face any such challenges in the future.

Finally, let us, as a Nation develop some Proactive Disaster Management Action Plan with a continuous process/mechanism to forecast, prepare and effectively face such calamities in the future.

Author:
Sakarama Somayaji
Senior Fellow
Council for Social Development
53, Lodi Estate, New Delhi - 03
(Tel: 24615383 (O), 9811250460 (M)
E-mail: saamadhu@yahoo.co.in