Flood relief in West Bengal, 2000
Towards the end of September, West Bengal was hit by a devastating flood. Thousands died, most mud-houses collapsed, belongings of people were washed away and standing crops in vast tracts of land were destroyed --- which devastated the lives of more than 200,000 people in five districts. In view of the grave situation, the Breakthrough Science Society launched a relief collection drive. The BSS Chapters at I.I.T. Kharagpur and I.I.T. Guwahati, and many affiliated science clubs including the Giordano Bruno Science Society and the Muktaman Vigyan Sanstha together collected about Rs.80,000 and a good amount of clothes and medicine. In response to our appeal, many ex-students of IIT sent money from abroad for this noble cause. The relief distribution work was done in three phases in three districts.
In the first phase a team from I.I.T. comprising of Dr. Soumitro Banerjee, Dr. Somnath Bharadwaj, Dr. Manish Bhattacharya, Mr. Amit Das and Mr. Suman Pal, and a team from Calcutta comprising of Prof. Madhusudan Pal, Dr. Subhasis Maity, Mr. Subhasis Basak, Dr. Uttam Mahapatra and Mr. Pinaki Das went to the Swarupnagar block of North 24 Parganas district on the weekend of 14-15 October.
We took the relief materials by train to Basirhat, where we bought the food materials (rice, dal, chura and babyfood) worth about Rs.30,000. We halted for the night there and proceeded to Swarupnagar block next morning. Our guides were volunteers of the Meghnad Saha Vigyan Sanstha , a BSS-affiliated science club of Duttapukur town, who earlier visited the affected areas. We crossed the river Ichhamati by boat, and proceeded to the spot. We went as far as the vehicle could go, and then divided ourselves in two groups to facilitate the distribution. From that point we proceeded toward Saguna Anchal in a country-boat, as the whole area was flooded.
The power-boat (locally called bhutbhuti) went through a large tract of land which was once a lush green paddy field. We went through what were once villages --- the boatman told us the names: Sharapul, Nolabora, Kalitala, Pantapara, Nischindapur -- no trace of life anywhere. All villages were under 10-ft deep water. Finally, after a 40 minute journey, we reached the spot where the survivours have taken shelter. It is a village named Bhekutia, which was fortunate enough to be placed at a high elevation. When our team visited, it looked like an island. We distributed the relief materials among the people who have taken shelter in this village.
In the second phase, a team comprising of Dr. Soumitro Banerjee, Mr. Tapan Bid, and Mr. Asta Daskhan went to the Baruipara village in Nadia district (Tehatta Block) and distributed blankets worth Rs. 25,000. It was nearing winter, and the flood-affected people had no protection against the cold. The doctors in the area reported later that the blankets helped many, especially the children, to survive that winter.
In the third phase, a team comprising of Dr. Subhasis Maity, Dr. Uttam Sinha Mahapatra, Dr. Pranab Sarkar and Mr. Subhendu Bhattacharya visited the Rampurhat block in Birbhum district and distributed blankets worth about Rs. 25,000 in the flood-affected village named Basoa.
To see photographs of the relief work, click here.