North Bihar District Model CHILDLINESA Plan for Post Monsoon Floods Relief for Children

Geographical FeaturesNorth Bihar has an area of about 5.4 million hectares, traversed by eight major rivers – Ghaghra, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Adhwara group of rivers, Bagmati, Kamla, Bhutahi

Balan, Kosi and Mahananda.

16.5 per cent of the total flood affected area of the country is in Bihar and 56.5 per cent of the total flood affected people in the country belong to Bihar. Out of this 76 per cent reside in north Bihar.

Rainfall

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 30, 2008 – A sudden breach in the eastern embankment of the Kosi River in North Bihar has resulted in the inundation of thousands of villages in 15 districts - Muzaffarpur, Patna, Katihar, Nalanda, West Champaran, Khagaria Sheikhpura, Purnia, Saran, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura and Araria..

This breach is huge and has resulted in the river changing its course, flowing through areas that have not previously experienced major flooding. Millions of acres of human habitation and farmlands are submerged in the river waters displacing around 2.5 million people in 6 districts of the State.

In addition, more than 225,000 houses have been destroyed. To date, 55 deaths have been reported, but this number is likely to rise. Given the enormity of the humanitarian crisis, the Prime Minister of India has declared it as a National Calamity.

For the last three to four days, the weather has been extremely hot, aggravating the suffering of the displaced population, particularly for children, pregnant and lactating women and the aged.

CNN-IBN, a prominent national media, reports of 20 children who have been trapped without any support for nearly a week in their school building because of the sudden floods.

Shelter: Most of the displaced people are living on the roads, bridges and railway tracks (which are generally at a higher level) and other higher areas mostly without any shelter and other basic needs.

Roads have been damaged and water and electricity supplies in the affected districts have been seriously disrupted. Railway tracks have been submerged and essential

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commodities, including food, are being transported by boat.

Those displaced by the flooding are not expected to be able to return to their homes for another two or three months when the embankment is repaired and the river moves back to its normal course. Until then, these people will need to stay in relief camps.

Health: Essential medicines distributed by the Government of Bihar have reached only some of the more accessible relief camps and other affected populations. Large parts of the flood affected areas are still inaccessible because of the flowing water and lack of boats. Also, there is a lack of doctors in many of these areas.

As the number of displaced continues to grow, relief camps may become overcrowded, leading to the spread of communicable diseases.

Food and Nutrition: The state government is air dropping food packets in inundated villages. In many relief camps, host populations, including youth groups, local NGOs and trade associations, are distributing both cooked food and ready to eat meals.

Water and Sanitation: In most of the relief camps, drinking water is available through hand pumps. However, additional pumps are needed because of the scale of the crisis.

But the relief camps hold only a fraction of the displaced people. Most people, who are staying along river tributaries, or stranded on roads, railway tracks or on rooftops are drinking potentially contaminated river water.

Hygiene conditions are generally very poor with an insufficient number of toilets, resulting in open defecation. Cases of fever and diarrhoea are being reported. Given the scorching heat, unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene conditions, cases may soon increase.  

To see daily updates of situation please see: http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/

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NASA’s Earth Observatory has striking ‘before’ and ‘after’ images of the changed path of the river:

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The Bihar Flood Management Information System has been tracking the floods.

Objectives during the floods:(as perfectly articulated by Plan India)

1.   Children from the flood displaced families and communities are safe and protected – Child protection is one of the major casualties during disasters. In the aftermath of a disaster children get separated from their families, others are orphaned, and for most children the safety net of the family and community gets weakened. Their vulnerability is exploited by traffickers, child abusers, rapists and other criminals. Hence the need for organizations, like Plan to work with the government and civil society to ensure child protection. And in the process rebuild the community and family child protection mechanisms.

2.   Children in the flood displaced communities have access to safe drinking water and sanitation and hence protected from disease and illnesses – Floods lead to a situation where drinking water sources and the sanitation infrastructure get significantly contaminated and damaged. This requires emergency interventions at two levels – (a) to create alternative mechanisms for provisioning drinking water and sanitation services;

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and (b) activities to restore the water sources and sanitation infrastructure so that the health fallouts are minimized.

Our Objective

CIF :1. Send relief supplies to Relief camps set up by the Government/NGOs and

ensure distribution amongst children at the camps.2. Organise medical camps for check up and distribution of basic medicine and

supplementary nutrition to children in the interior rural areas, as an attempt to prevent the outbreak of various water borne & vector borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, skin diseases, eye infection, common cold / cough etc especially among the children.

Tripolia :Tripolia Social Service Hospital is one of the eminent health service providers in Patna city. Tripolia is our partner in Patna and plays the role of collaborative organization in CHILDLINE Patna.

Relief Supplies:CIF will identify the relief camps set up by State Government and various NGOs and arrange for supplies of food and other material to be sent there. These will be distributed to children at camps by teams of volunteers.

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Relief/Medical Camp :Organising a medical camp and that too post flood needs expertise and experience of health service delivery system. In this regard Tripolia Hospital will be the best organization to go ahead. They being a CHILDINE partner too are eager to reach out to the children in distress in the districts.

Tripolia will provide the entire medical facility and expertise and CIF will allocate the financial support and coordinate the entire programme. a- 2 teams from Tripolia each consisting of one physician/paramedics, two nurses and two volunteers will move to the flood affected districts, and the team will be reinforced with five more local volunteers.b- The CHILDLINE partners in the districts will pre identify the spot/venue for organizing the camp, they will pre identify the children in need of emergency checkup and communicate the time/date etc to the affected community.c- 10-14 camps in a duration of 8 to 10 days at a stretch.d- Local Panchayat will play a pivotal role in coordinating the process.e- District Administration will be intimated about the programme in advance to avoid any administrative issue.f- Logistics of the entire medical team will be taken care of by CIF & local partners there.

Coordination:CIF city/state representative will be in the district along with the team during the entire operation to handle it in a planned and professional way.

State Control Room Number:: 91-612-2217305/2215027/6452572

Key Contacts

Sri R. K. Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary. Tel: 2205399 (R). Mobile: 94310-19099.Sri Pratyaya Amrit, IAS, Additional Commissioner. Tel: 2222456 (R). Mobile: 94318-15833.Sri P. N. Rai, IPS, Special Secretary. Tel: 2205455 (R). Mobile: 94310-11283.

URGENTLY Needed:Our efforts are primarily concentrated at the Relief Camps. located in the following critical locations:

1. Madhepura2. Supaul 3. Seharsa4. Araria5. Purnea6. Katihar

 

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 We are setting up CHILDLINE kiosks in the camps located in districts of Purnea, Kishenganj, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi - all districts were CHILDLINE has existing operations.At the camps we are:

1. Identifying children who are separated from their parents and then trying to trace the families.

2. Offering basic stuff like: Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), Glucose (Glucon D) and Milk Powder.

3. Stocking medical aid for immunisation etc- these will only be used once we get doctors from our partners Triploia Hospital to come for the medical camps.

We need:As much as we can get of:

Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS),

Glucose (Glucon D)

Milk Powder.

In addition we need funding for:Medicine

Supplementary Nutrition (milk, protein biscuits and non perishable food items)

Relief material (Polythene sheets, candles, bucket etc)Doctor's feeVehicle rentFuel chargesAccomodation FoodCommunicationMiscellaneousRelief supplies for children at Camps

Medicines:Sl. Descriptions/ items Quantity

1 Tab Co- trimaxazole 1000 tabs2 Tab Co- trimaxazole DS 1000 tabs3 Tab - Metnidazole 200mg 1000 tabs4 Tab - Metnidazole 400mg 1000 tabs5 Tab – Paracetamole 6000 tab6 Sy. Paracetamole 500 bottles 7 Sy. Co- trimaxazole 500 bottles 8 Cough Syr. 1000 bottles9 Tab – Ceterizine 1000 tabs

10 ORS packets 2000 packets11 Sy. Albeendazole 400 bottle

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12 Tab – Albeendazole 500 tabs13 G.M. Eye/ Ear drops 500 bottles14 Domferidone 10mg 600 tabs15 Sy. Ostocalcine 100ml 250 bottle16 Sy. B/Complex 500 bottles17 Neosprine powder 25 bottles18 G.V. paint 100 bottles19 Sy. Normetroggl 1000 bottles20 Sy. Metonidazole 500 bottles21 Glucose powder 1 case22 Bleaching powder 100kg23 First Aid items (BP box, stethoscope, cotton, bandage, dettol,

band aide ,micropore /ointment, betadine etc.) 24 First Aid box, medicine carier 25 Hand washing soap + towel + scissors etc.26 Miscellaneous items +paper bag + polythene bag. etc.

Please rush your funds or your supplies to CHILDLINE India Foundation at:2nd floor, Nanachowk Municipal SchoolFrere Bridge, Low Level, Near Grant Road StationMumbai – 400007IndiaTelephone— 91 22-23841098 / 23881098Fax: 91 22 2381 1098

Cheques should favour “CHILDLINE India Foundation”.100% tax exemption under Sec 35AC applies. Please quote your PAN number to obtain receipt under Sec 35AC.

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Overview of CHILDLINE India FoundationCHILDLINE aims at responding to the emergency needs of every child in need of care and protection throughout the country, ensuring that there is an integrated effort between the government, non-government organizations, academic organizations, bilateral agencies, corporates and the community in protecting the rights of children.The CHILDLINE service, which has been developed and managed by CHILDLINE India Foundation (CIF), is a 24 hour, toll free phone outreach service linking children in need of help and protection to organizations run by government departments as well as those run by civil society agencies. Children or concerned adults dial the number 1098 and are connected to the CHILDLINE service in their city.

Currently the service operates in 83 cities/towns across the country and services over 2 million calls a year.

CHILDLINE IN ACTION

From the very outset, the ‘model’ of the service was to avoid duplication of the service of other child care NGOs, rather forge links with them and with “Allied system” institutions (Police, Health Care, Juvenile Justice, Transport, Legal, Education, Communication, Media, Political and the Community). So the service became, in essence, a link service- a single window , thru which a child in distress could be linked to the most effective service delivery organisation and also ensures increasing accountability of service providers towards children’s rights. The Government of India soon recognized the model and commenced financial support to setting up CHILDLINE Cities i.e. cities in which CHILDLINE 1098 could become functional. CIF became central nodal agency for the replication and facilitation of the CHILDLINE service, research, documentation and awareness and advocacy on issues related to child protection. In addition, CIF also undertakes the initiation of specialized need based services based on trends emerging from analysis of calls.

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Child / Concerned

Adult dials 1098

Connected to a CHILDLINE collaborative agency

CHILDLINE team rushes to child within 60 minutes

Child provided rehabilitation, Constant follow up with child

Programs and activities:

Responding to calls on the national toll free number 1098 and provision to rescue and offer emergency outreach services for children in need of care and protection;

Coordinating rescue and other outreach services with the help of relevant local departments like police, administration, labour, health, railways and others;

Ensuring proper documentation of all children rescued to facilitate their rehabilitation and restoration, where necessary;

Producing children before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for ensuring care and protection;

Supporting the CWC in the long term rehabilitation of children, where required; Supporting a national network for the tracking of missing children; Providing data related to children rescued and rehabilitated to for compilation of a

national comprehensive database of child protection; Creating awareness and ensuring access to the 1098 Child helpline (CHILDLINE)

number; Research, documentation, awareness and advocacy on issues related to Child

helpline; Establishing linkages with other child protection services, community and local

bodies for meeting the immediate needs of children rescued.

CHILDLINE is India's first national level response to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Additionally, the CHILDLINE 1098 service receives special mention in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2000- the Government has requested CHILDLINE to act as a catalyst in bringing together State agencies and voluntary agencies at the local level to ensure implementation of the Act. During the Tsunami disaster in 2004, the CHILDLINE service expanded it's scope to touch the lives of children in 7 tsunami affected areas, thus responding to children in disaster situations.This was so effective that CIF was asked to setup service in Jammu and Kashmir during the recent earthquake there.

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Open House

W.e.f. fiscal year 2006-07,Ministry for Women and Child Development (MWCD) has granted the exclusive ‘Mother NGO’ status to CIF. MWCD releases funds for operations of CHILDLINE cities and for expansion of the network to CIF as block grants. Under the XI th Plan it has been proposed to integrate budgets for CHILDLINE operations under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme of the Ministry.CHILDLINE Coverage:

Governing Board of CIF :

1. Mr Anil Kumar Garg,Secretary Ministry of Women & Child Development Chairperson.

2. Ms. Pradeep Bolina, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India

3. Mr. Mishra, Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Women & Child Development

4. Mr. K. Biswal, Executive Director, Establishment & Ex-Officio Joint Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Railways.

5. Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra 6. Mr. Farrokh Kavarana, Director, Tata SonsLtd.7. Mr. F. C. Kohli, Former Dy.Chairman, TCS Ltd.

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8. Mr. Piyush Pande, Executive Chairman & National Creative Director, Ogivly & Mather India.

9. Dr. Parasuraman, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai10. Dr. (Ms) Armaity Desai, Educationist, Former Chairperson, UGC.11. Mr. Nawshir Mirza, Chartered Accountant 12. Ms. Jeroo Billimoria, Honorary Secretary, CIF

Annual Reports:Annual reports for the years 2004-05, 05-06 and 06-07 may be downloaded in PDF files from:http://www.childlineindia.org.in/annualreports.htm

CHILDLINE India Foundation2nd floor, Nanachowk Municipal SchoolFrere Bridge, Low Level, Near Grant Road StationMumbai – 400007IndiaTelephone— 91 22-23841098 / 23881098Fax: 91 22 2381 1098e-mail- dial1098@childlineindia.org.inwebsite: www.childlineindia.org.inGive India listing: http://www.giveindia.org/give/ngoprofile/GetNGODonationOptions.do?ngoid=162

FCRA number---083780693 Dated 18/01/2000Note: All donations to CHILDLINE India Foundation are eligible for 50% Tax exemption under Sec 80G of IT Act (for amounts under Rs 5000/-) and for 100% tax exemptions under Section 35AC (for amounts of Rs 5000 and above).Key Contact persons:Nishit KumarHead Communication and Strategic Initiativesnishit@childlineindia.org.in

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