KUTCHH AFTER FIVE YEARS OF EARTHQUAKE - AN OVERALL VIEW

KUTCHH AFTER FIVE YEARS OF EARTHQUAKE - AN OVERALL VIEW

A REPORT

INTRODUCTION-
Five years have passed since the 2001 Killer Earthquake, which devastated the life of Kutchh and killed thousands of people. Socialist Unity Centre of India (S.U.C.I.) reached Kutchh on the second day after the Earthquake, set up its base camp at Bahchau, and undertook intense medical and material relief work along with educational and cultural relief. A tarpaulin school was constructed in the early days, followed by reconstruction of a semi-permanent school at Bhachau.

Shyamji Krishna Verma - Bhagat Singh - Meghani Library was constructed within two months of the earthquake and multiple cultural activities were organized to relieve people from mental trauma. Sewing classes for women were started; mason and carpenter tool kits were distributed for economic rehabilitation of affected people. Physical training, sports and games were initiated. We organized tent class at Bhuj for the students of Lalan College, who were appearing for examination. Professors and lecturers from Bhuj, Ahmedabad, and Baroda taught them for 15 days.

Along with relief work, S.U.C.I. continuously organized people and raised the issues of affected people before the authorities. We formed Earthquake-affected People’s Struggle Committee, which led a delegation to the local authorities of Bhachau as well at Bhuj. People’s conferences were organized at Bhachau, Bhuj and Ahmedabad. We also issued an open letter to the Prime Minister and joined the demonstration by senior citizens at Bhuj.

After 1st year and 2nd year of the Earthquake, we came out with in-depth survey reports and broke the myth of the rosy picture of rehabilitation of affected people created by the Government of Gujarat. These reports were eye openers as they revealed the real face of the Government’s tall claims regarding rehabilitation and resettlement.

A long period of five years has passed after the Earthquake. In continuity with earlier surveys, this year also we tried to probe into the rehabilitation work of Earthquake-affected Kutchh. Under the leadership of Sri Jayesh Patel and Sri Tapan Dasgupta, state leaders of Gujarat S.U.C.I., a survey team visited Bhuj, Bhachau, Rapar and Anjar, many villages, met common people, women, peasants, small traders, academicians, students, youths, workers, leading citizens, media persons, lawyers, and collected materials and took stock of the present situation.

Many things have changed in these five years - new roads, government offices, school buildings, court, police stations could be observed. Many houses were also constructed. However, our survey revealed that on the one hand, Earthquake- affected people are confronting newer realities, and on the other hand, rehabilitation-related work is still pending and as a result, people are suffering. We tried to find out these newer issues as well as the pending rehabilitation activities in cities and villages of Kutchh.

REPORT
TEMPORARY SHELTERS HAVE BECOME PERMANENT

It is very astonishing to see the temporary shelters still exist in Bhuj, Bhachau and Anjar. Temporary rehabilitation is supposed to be the transition from temporary to permanent rehabilitation. But after five years, the temporary shelters have become the permanent rehabilitation.

In Anjar the victims are staying in tin-structured houses. The only change one can see is the deteriorating condition of these tin structures. Mostly the tenants are staying in- Bhagat Singh Nagar, Prajapati Nagar, Mistry Samaj, Brahma Samaj, Kshatriya Samaj.

Water crisis is a regular feature, which comes once in two to three days. Absence of drainage system has turned Prajapati Nagar into an open gutter, resulting in regular sickness.

In Bhuj, people are still living in temporary shelters of Raghuvansi Nagar and Dindayal Nagar. They are tenants as well as landowners, whose construction work is yet to be started or is partially constructed. In Bhachau, people are staying at Gayatri Nagar
.

PERMANENT REHABILITATION AND INSTALLMENT-UNRESOLVED ISSUE

Government of Gujarat declared various packages for permanent rehabilitation and categorized them as G1 - G5 and sanctioned Rs. 7000 to Rs. 1.5 lacs for various categories in urban areas and Rs. 7000 to Rs. 90,000 in rural areas. In cities, people received Rs. 55000 to Rs. 1.5 lacs for reconstruction according to the size and type of their destroyed houses. In villages people received Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 90,000. This money is disbursed in 3 instalments of 30%, 30% and 40%). Those who wanted to start the construction work after receiving the 1st instalment had to have approved plan drawing from respective area development authorities. At various stages of construction, one receives second and third instalment after acquiring certificates from the authorized engineers.

Because of this complex procedure, the permanent rehabilitation process was delayed, followed by corruption from top to bottom. Till this date, many people could not complete the construction of their houses only because they had not received either the second or the third instalment.
One Mr. Kasambhai Sarania and his three brothers have not received the second instalment for the last 3 years despite their having constructed their house up to ceiling level. Mr.Khoja’s land was acquired by AADA authority. He has neither got compensation nor received any rehabilitation relief package. He filed a case in the High Court and the Judgment was in his favour. However, AADA authority did not honour the High Court order. Because of this delay in disbursing the instalment or the approval of plans by AADA, more than 50% of construction activity has not started yet. Many residents of Sitarampura of Bhachau have not received 2nd and 3rd instalment though they have completed construction of their houses. The situation is the same in Himmatpura and Bhatpalia of Bhachau Taluka. Purshottambhai Karia residing at Bhatpalia could not complete his house as a result of the 3rd instalment not being released. Similarly, many people of Bhatpalia have not received 2nd and 3rd instalment.

The situation is the same at Bhuj and Rapar. Many people are still staying at Raghuvanshi Nagar and Dindayal Nagar in Bhuj, as they could not complete their houses because of administrative hassles. Almost 5000 to 8000 people are still staying in these temporary shelters.

At Rapar, 500 families who had constructed houses within 3-4 months of the earthquake, have not received any compensation. Out of 20,302 rural beneficiaries, only 15,210 have received all the instalments. The victims of Nilpar, Palasvand, Dahisara, Pragpar, Karmaria, Kabrau villages have not received the 3rd instalment.

TENANT ISSUE-THE BONE OF CONTENTION

Tenants are the worst sufferers in the total rehabilitation programme. The complexity starts with the question of proving their tenancy. At Anjar tenants are staying for such a long period that it has become impossible to locate the original owners of their houses. In most of the cases, owners have not been giving any receipt for the rent, without which tenancy could not be established.

The complexities are due to the declared permanent rehabilitation package for the tenants. As per the package the government pays the compensation to the original owner who will be responsible for reconstruction of the house for the tenant. A year long period will be given to the owner for the construction, and if he fails, a notice will be served and an extension of one more year will be given. After this also if the owner fails to reconstruct the house, the government will take back the money and will undertake the construction itself. According to a senior citizen, this is a most impractical package. The result is that, more than 90% of the tenants are facing an uncertain future.

TOWN PLANNING - A MAN MADE EARTHQUAKE

Following the killer earthquake, town planning with a human face is totally missing. The total focus is on roads, lights, and administrative buildings than the proper rehabilitation of the victims. The earthquake played havoc on the lives of the people, but town planning evicted them from their ancestral lands too. The eviction of the victims was much more ruthless and inhuman and beyond tolerance after the earthquake. There were sporadic agitations and protests.

Delays, chaos, callous and indifferent attitude of the authorities, which is the order of the day, created a sense of frustration and helplessness among the citizens. According to concerned leading citizens, “Town planning in Kutchh is bereft of people’s participation”. The government through an ordinance has removed the clause of people’s participation in the town planning act. Thus in the last five years, people had a horrifying experience. Town planning kept on changing for years and delay in finalisation delayed rehabilitation and reconstruction. People had to demolish their repaired or newly constructed houses as roads keep on changing with every town planning change.

Bureaucratic functioning and high handedness in the implementing office of town planning, that is Area Development Authority in the cities, gave way to immense corruption. Passing the house plan, procuring certificate at the various stages of construction, releasing 2nd and 3rd instalment involved huge amounts of money.

It is reported that Bhuj Area Development Authority (BHADA) procured land for developmental purpose and then sold it to private parties. It has also sold land at higher price than it paid to the original owner while procuring the land. In some places BHADA after demolishing an existing structure sold it to some one other than the original owner.

In Bhachau, presence of town planning was not felt in areas like Sitarampara, Himatpara and Bhattpalia. According to a leading industrialist of Kutchch, the implementation of town planning in Bhachau and the subsequent release of the instalments created an explosive situation in Kutchh. He further added that like Ahmedabad, the total amount of the rehabilitation package money should have been given to the victims and they should have had the choice to construct their houses according to their requirement.

The newly constructed roads got damaged in the first monsoon shower.

RELOCATION SITE - AN ILLEGITIMATE CHILD OF R-R POLICY

Anjar and Bhuj are the two towns where the question of relocation sites is the most living issue of unsettlement. People lost their land due to widening of roads in the old city due to town planning. Bhuj Area Development Authority earmarked four relocation sites, namely RTO site, Mundra road site, Rawalwadi site and GIDC road site. People were allotted plots in these relocation sites through draw system where majority are left out and are staying in rented houses. Though the constructions of houses has been done by the beneficiaries, they are confronting newer problems. Despite the residents having paid development and betterment charges, water and drainage connection have not been provided to them. Instead Bhuj Area Development Authority has asked them to deposit money for water and drainage connection.

Anjar Area Development Authority has not developed any relocation site, but various caste organisations and religious leaders have acquired land for the tenants of the respective castes and are developing them as relocation sites.

ADOPTION OF VILLAGES - ADOPTERS MISSING - REJECTION OF ADOPTION BY PEOPLE

The over-enthusiasm of voluntary organizations to help the victims gave an opportunity to the Government of Gujarat to envisage the package of adoption of villages by various organisations. As per the package, villages adopted by the NGO will bear half of the expenses and Government of Gujarat will bear the other half. The villages opting for adoption will not receive any other financial help from the Government. There are some villages that refused to accept any adoption and preferred the relief package by Government. In reality, we see partial adoption as well as total adoption of villages by various organisations

The Government did not set any uniform norms for these adopting organisations. Some of them provided one room - kitchen, whereas in some other villages villagers got larger houses and better facilities. Kunjisar and Kakarva were reconstructed with all the facilities whereas in Indraprastha (Navi Dudhai), rooms were without plaster and flooring. In Indrasprastha, latrine and bathroom also had not been provided to the people.

Adoption has also segregated villages into multiple segments. Different caste groups are staying in different segments. Dhudhai, Bandari, Kabrau, Wondh are a few of them where the village has been divided into two or three segments based on caste.

HEALTH

Health is one of the most neglected sectors. The earthquake played havoc on the human body. People suffered from multiple injuries. The medical relief provided was a temporary relief for the patients and required follow-up. Many went out to other parts of Gujarat and even Mumbai for treatments and operations and spent huge amount of money. Post-operative care and post-quake check-up were never done. The recent Health-checkup mela by Wagad Welfare revealed these things. Thousands of patients thronged to the Health Mela for check-up. Most of the cases were earthquake-related ones.
Most of the PHCs are without doctors and adequate staff. There are several vacancies of doctors, nurses, malaria workers, supervisors. The mobile medical vans are gathering dust. Some PHCs are run by compounders. The doctors are transferred on and often. Medicines are not available to the patients. For patients it is fait accompli and they have started living with their injuries.

BHUJ HOSPITAL- A GIFT THAT BECAME A BURDEN

Bhuj District hospital is a grand gift to the people of Kutchh, constructed at the cost of Rs. 200 Cr. from Prime Minister’s fund, with most modern equipments and technology. There is a general feeling of the people that the hospital should be managed by AIIMS or the Government of India. People fear that if the present situation continues then after some time these costly instruments will be shifted to some other hospitals of Gujarat. There is an apprehension that the equipment may be shifted depriving the people of Kutchh.

Before the earthquake patients were not charged, but now charges are levied from out-patient to in-patient under different heads. In the post-earthquake situation, this will be a big blow to the economically weaker sections of Kutchh.

Infrastructural development is the only development which one feels very strongly in quake-affected Kutchh. Collector office, mamlatdar office, government quarters, court building, post office, roads, every thing is new and colourful. But the same zest is missing in various localities like relocation sites of Bhuj and Anjar where the basic infrastructural facilities like water line and drainage lines have not been provided yet despite Area Development Authorities collecting development charges and betterment charges. Roads are being constructed every where except at GIDC relocation sites at Bhuj and Sitarampara, Himatpara, Junawada areas of Bhachau. People have been living in the primary shelters for long five years almost without any basic facilities.

EDUCATION

Educational institutions have been constructed by voluntary organizations. Nevertheless, there are many schools where there are only two teachers for 150 students. There is no fresh employment of teachers. Again, the teachers are engaged in Government works leaving the students untaught. Again, the menace of self-finance and the commercialization and privatization of education has started aggressively. The poor economic situation has propelled dropouts among girl students. Though educational buildings were constructed, the education has taken the backseat and economic relief for promotion of education is a distant dream.

JUSTICE DENIED

Justice delayed is justice denied. However, here in most of the cases the judgments either from the lower court or the High Court are in favour of the tenants. But victims are not honoured by the administration. The legal procedure is so costly that the most of the people have opted out of court procedures. The Court proceedings against the residents of Sarvoday Nagar and the SUCI leaders for protest demonstrations held against evictions are still pending in the court for the last four years. In Ahmedabad, the builders of the devastated houses are freed from charges of negligence.

HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS.

On closer scrutiny one will find that people have stopped complaining. They have lost faith not only in the administration and Government, but in the judiciary also. The Government and its administration have not honoured the NHRC’s recommendation or the observations of the Gujarat High Court. People’s Redressal cell on the lines of the Narmada Tribunal was introduced. Similarly the Ombudsman for the quake-affected people for redressal was also not honoured.
.
INDUSTRIALISATION SANS EMPLOYMENT FOR LOCALS

After the earthquake, the Government of India declared a tax holiday to revive the broken economy of Kutchh. Though in the first two years, one did not find much industrial growth in Kutchh, in the last three years, a number of industries like chemicals and drugs, steel, electronics, oil, etc. came to Kutchh with massive investments. Nevertheless, on the other side, industries which were existing in Kutchh before the earthquake and incurred heavy losses have not received any tax benefit. This resulted in their losing their competitive edge as cost of production become higher for them. Besides, most of the industries, which faced massive damage in the killer earthquake, could not take the benefit of the declared industrial package of Rs.1.2 lakh declared by the Government because of administrative hassles. According to Shree Jayesh Mehta, at the time of the earthquake, when people were busy to save the lives of their kith and kin, how would it be possible for them to save and recover their papers and documents? As a result ultimately many stopped visiting government offices and opted out of the benefit.

EMPLOYMENT- A MIRAGE

Wherever one goes, one cannot escape the sight of people struggling for livelihood. Just after the earthquake, people got engaged in collecting debris - collecting scrap, iron rods, and bricks. As construction started, masons, carpenters, and the ordinary labourers got livelihood opportunities. But as the days passed, the construction works reached a saturation point.
The new industries have failed to provide employment as desired to the local people. The upcoming industries are giving more preference to outside workers and even labourers than the local people. This very aspect is becoming a matter of discontent in the surrounding villages.

The condition of small traders is equally insecure. They have been shifted from one place to another more than 5 to 6 times. Most of them do not have money to opt for high priced municipal shop sites.

In general, educated as well as uneducated are living in uncertainty.

WOMEN AS BREADWINNERS

In almost all the places one can find the women doing Bharat (embroidery) Work. It has become one of the main earning sources of the womenfolk in Kutchh, in addition to the earning of the men. The males are trying to earn from manual works which are hardly available regularly.

Life has become very difficult, uncertain, insecure and hard, more so after the earthquake.

CORRUPTION- AN OPEN SECRET

Corruption has become part and parcel of the whole R-R programme. Only corruption in the removal of debris has come to light due to public pressure, but there are many unrecorded but widely felt instances of corruption which are yet to be exposed.

SOCIAL ASPECT- AN UNSETTLED SOCIETY?

The Five years after the Killer Earthquake has refreshed the memories of holocaust of the people. Earthquake, relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction left a deep scar on the socio - cultural life of Kutchh. Despair and lack of faith have become part of their lives. People have learned to keep quiet and tolerate injustice. They have become fatalistic and find recourse in superstition. In the period immediately after the killer earthquake they were overwhelmed by the tender touch of the people of the whole world. They felt so obliged to them. However, as time passed, there was no end to their anguish and despair. Moreover, the insults and the humiliation from the administration and the Government are still hurting them. The administration was more like a military dictatorship, minus a human face. The earthquake devastated them but the Administration and the Government wrecked them, and this will have far-reaching consequences

In general people are yet to settle themselves.

(Dwarikanath Rath)
Secretary,
Gujarat State Organising Committee (S.U.C.I.)
Contact:
Ahmedabad : 206/1, Patel Vas, Madalpur, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad-380 006.
Vadodara : 16/118, G.H.B. Colony, Akota Road, Vadodara-390 020.
Surat : 272, New Priyanka Township, Dindoli Road, Udhna, Surat.