JOINT RAPID NEED ASSESSMENT: KUMAR GRAM RELIEF CAMPS

State IAG WEST BENGAL: JOINT RAPID NEED ASSESSMENT: KUMAR GRAM RELIEF CAMPS

JOINT RAPID NEED ASSESSMENT: KUMAR GRAM RELIEF CAMPS CONDUCTED BY: STATE INTER AGENCY GROUP – WEST BENGAL

DATE: 4TH

January 2015

DISTRICT: ALIPURDUAR, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Assessment Team:

Name Organization

Prithwish Karmakar DPGBS

Shyamal Basumata Jalpaiguri Seva Sadan

Debojit sarkar DPGBS

Ranendra Sarkar SRUDS

Sanghamitra Dasgupta CASA

Pradip Sarkar Rural Aid

Prasenjit Barua Rural Aid

Nita Dhar PRISM

Animesh Majumdar CASA

Debojyoti Chakrabortty IAG, WB

Susmita Guha Save the Children


Background

Soon after the Assam Conflict on 23rd

of December 2015, Internally Displaced People (IDP) have taken

shelter in Kumargram Block of West Bengal. Considering the situation and based on the initial

feedback from associates, IAG WB has decided to go for Joint Rapid Need Assessment (JRNA) in four

relief camps at Kumargram block with the above mentioned team.

Time Frame

4th

of January 2015; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at four relief camps

Methodology:

� Observation

� Interaction with the people affected, Key stakeholders, duty bearers

� Primary/secondary data collection

Area (Relief Camp) (As of 4th

January 2015)

Camp Name Male Female Children Pregnant Differently Total

Abled

1. Salbari 69 71 135 4 nil 275

Jhirjhiri

Primary

School

2. Balapara 163 150 144 4 nil 457

Forest Village

School

3. 121 142 160 5 2 423

Chengmari

Community

Hall

4. Madhya 39 32 46 3 nil 117

Haldibari

Forest

Protection

Community

Hall


Relief Camp wise household Information

Camp Name Number of Families

1. Salbari Jhirjhiri Primary School 58

2. Balapara Forest Village School 71

3. Chengmari Community Hall 108

4. Madhya Haldibari Forest Protection Community Hall 28

Relief Items Received

• Tarpaulin sheet – 1 each per family

• Wrapper – 1 each individual

• Blanket – 1 each per family

• Woolen clothes – 1 each per individual

• Salwar kamiz – 1 each per individual

• Shirt pant – 1 each per individual

• Shoes / Chappal – 1 set per individual

• Foam Sheet – 1 each per individual

• Mosquito Coil , Candle, Match Box – 1 each per family

• Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Shampoo, Hair Oil, Comb, Soap, soap powder – 1 set per individual

• Utensils (2 pcs of Dish, Handi, 10 ltrs Bucket -1, Mug – 1, Jug – 1, Glass – 2, Bowl – 2, Small Tub –

1) – 1 set per family

Food

• Nestum

• Horlicks

• Milk Powder / Liquid (amul)

• Biscuit

• Molasses

• Flattened Rice (chira)

• Puffed Rice

• Rice

• Dal

• Cooking Oil

• Salt


• Spices

• Water Pouch (PHED)

• Fire wood for cooking

WASH

• Bucket for latrine

• Water Tank and Tube well

• Broom

• Bleaching Powder

• 5 Drums (100 ltrs) for each camp

Others

• Play kits (Football, Volley ball, Volley Net

Key Findings

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH):

• People living in the camps have access to toilets since there are temporary toilets constructed by

Government for each camp, though very less people use it since they are not habituated to use

that kind of toilets. Automatically, the families have started going out for open defecation or in

some cases are using villagers’ land and river side areas for toilet use hence hygiene is a major

concern in all the camp areas. Food for families was being cooked close to the toilets and lands

which are getting used for open defecation. There is a chance of outbreak of an epidemic due to

unhygienic and unsanitary conditions such as open defecation and absence of minimum hand

washing practices prevailing in the camps.

• Drinking water is available through hand pumps and PHED department is supplying packaged

drinking water too. Some of them reported smell of chlorine in the water; otherwise drinking

water is not a major issue.

• Women and adolescent girls shared that maintaining menstrual hygiene is a problem. In 2 camps

sanitary napkins have been given though many are not comfortable to use that; on the other side

there is no arrangement for disposal of napkins.

Food and Non-Food Items:

• In all the camps, 4 times food distribution by government is going on. Twice they provide dry

ration and cooked food given for lunch & dinner.

• Milk is available for children. For infants, baby foods are in supply.


• Utensils kits have been provided to each family though people are unhappy with less number of

glasses & plates given to each family.

• Warm clothes and slippers distributions are sufficient to their need. What came out is they need

inner garments. Blankets & mattress are also given to each family.

Health and Nutrition:

• Government health camps are there in each & every camp. Sufficient medicines are in stock.

Medical officer is attending the camps regularly. Immunizations for children & mother are not

regular since most of them are not carrying their immunization record card or whoever is carrying

its written in Assamese language which Bengal health workers are unable to understand.

• Deliveries are taking place in the camps which are however managed by “Birth Attendants” in primary health centre.

• Supplementary Nutrition was provided to infants. There is an urgent need to provide

supplementary nutrition to pregnant and lactating women, especially to women have recently

delivered in the camps.

Protection

• In all the places covered during the rapid assessment; children constitute half of the affected population.

• There are cases where children are separated from their parents.

• Children are traumatized due to the incident.

• Since all men & women are staying in the same premises there is fear of being attacked during nights.

• Children and their families do not have any documents with them such as birth certificates/identity

proof due to them having fled from their villages and having left everything behind. New born

children in the camps also do not have Birth Certificates.

• Almost all camps are dark during nights since there is no electricity.

• In two camps, very nearby presence of elephants observed by the police person.

Education

• Children are not attending schools in the camps.

• There are students who will appear for Secondary and Higher Secondary soon but they can study

since they left the books and other relevant documents of their children back in their villages.

• There are two camps established in local schools are still closed. Local parents are annoyed with

the fact since their children getting deprived from education and mid day meal.


Recommended priorities requirements

• Separate shelter arrangements for men & women

• Education kit for children

• Menstruation hygiene kit

• Private space for women

• Trauma counseling

• Protection from wild animal attack

• Shelter management committee needs to establish

• Advocacy for safe repositioning in Assam and asset loss compensation

Note: The team met Mr Shiladitto Chakraborty, Block Development Officer, Kumargram. He mention about

Govt effort to provide basic requirements in the camps. He also told that there is a discussion between

Bengal & Assam government and by tomorrow two camps from Balapara & Madhya Haldibari will be

dissolve and all the displaced people will be sent back to their own villages at Assam. He even indicated

that if there is any plan to provide relief to these camps it is advisable to wait for few more days since

there is high probability that people from rest two camps will also relocate to their own villages back in

Assam.

Action Aid Kolkata office also visited Kumargram camps and developed a brief report.


ANNEXURE – 1

Persons Interviewed

Name Gender Area Profession Contact Remarks

(Assam) Number

Mrs. Sumi F Simlibari Agriculture Nil

Hembram Tapu Labour

Mrs. Murmi F Binnabari Agriculture Nil Pregnant (9 months)

Hembram Labour

Mr. Shikar M Simlibari Agriculture Nil

Hembram Tapu Labour

Mr. Budhiram M Simlibari Student 09678788072 This year going to

Murmu Tapu appear Higher

Secondary

Examination in

Assam but presently

staying in camp

without any book /

reading materials

Mr. Samuel M Birnabari Agriculture 081360299068

Hembram Labour

Dr. Tapas Sarkar M West Bengal Doctor, Visiting doctor in

Kumargram Chengamari Relief

PHC Camp

Lal Marandi M Simlabari Respected aged Nil He himself taken

person the initiative to

cross the border

and visit his village

to check safety

issues and then

planning to go back

to with his family

Lalku M Fulkumari Adolescent boy Nil Seperated from his

gram parents


Annexure 2 : Photographs

JOINT RAPID NEED ASSESSMENT: KUMAR GRAM RELIEF CAMPS

Documents

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