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Where the government hesitates, NGOs rush in ....

Bibhuti Mishra in Bhubhaneswar

Despite government bungling, the apathy of officials handling relief and the indifference of politicians engaged in scoring brownie points, the victims of the cyclone in Orissa have not been entirely deprived of the helping hand. Various Non-Governmental Organisations are working hard to restore normal life.

For instance, a relief operation managed by the Round Tablers and Ladies Circle of Orissa called Operation Sadbhavna, and working in the badly-hit districts of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Bhadrak, has distributed 115 tonnes of rice and flour, polythene sheets and blankets in thousands and in the second phase will take up the construction of a few school buildings.

Then there is this outfit called Bharatiya Adima Jati Sevak Sangha. It has arranged a number of creches for the orphaned toddlers apart from opening balawadi nutrition centres to feed them.

You might wonder what is the connection between tour operators and relief? But the Indian Association of Tour Operators has shown that business is not all that it is concerned about. Apart from the usual relief work of providing food and clothes the IATO has asked all its 700 members to adopt villages in Orissa. The adoption involves reconstruction of school buildings, providing books and other necessities to schools and repairing damaged houses as well. Women would also be imparted training in the handicrafts to make them self-sufficient economically.

Not to be wholly left out, the government too has got into the act. In collaboration with a number of NGOs, it has come up, albeit a trifle belatedly, with a few sensible schemes to rehabilitate orphans and destitute women in the cyclone ravaged regions. A few days back the Orissa Patita Udhar Samiti, an outfit that works for the prevention of exploitation of helpless women, submitted a petition to the secretary of the women and child welfare department urging it to come up with short-stay homes for, and employment-oriented rehabilitation of, widows and young girls of the cyclone hit areas. Brothel keepers have been eyeing them as easy prey.

Perhaps, as a response to that demand the government in association with Action Aid, an NGO, and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund has decided to construct crisis-cum-transit homes for these destitutes. They will able to stay at these homes for about six months and each home will accommodate 40 people.

Again, along with Action Aid, the government has floated Operation Sneha where widows and other women in each area will take care of about 25 orphans. This scheme will be supported by the central government. Also, 46 existing orphanages are being expanded and seven new ones are being constructed.

The mother of celebrated filmmaker Mira Nair has decided to construct an orphanage in Nimapara on behalf of the Salam Balak Trust. "We will take care of orphans, destitute women, adolescent girls and old people in that order of importance. Money is not going to be a problem," said T K Mishra, secretary, Women and Child Development department of the government of Orissa.

In fact, the department is collaborating with the Orissa State Council for Child Welfare and 40 NGOs to form a Consortium for Rehabilitation of Children that will formulate various strategies for the complete rehabilitation of these orphans.

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