Udupi: Prabhakar Kalkura leads relief team in flood-hit Uttarakhand
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Jul 17: For over a month since the devastating floods hit Uttarakhand, the disaster management teams along with armymen and relief providing units have been engaged in the task of rescuing and rehabilitating survivors of the tragedy.
One of the teams of volunteers engaged in the relief efforts at Uttarkashi is being led by Prabhakar Kalkura, member of National Disaster Water and Sanitation Response Team, IRCS New Delhi, presently working as training coordinator for GFATM Project in Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal University, Udupi. The others members of the team are Jithin Jose Tom from ICRC, Sheik Nazar, Tamil Nadu and Pragnan Pamar from Gujarat.
Indian Red Cross Society, Disaster Management Division New Delhi deployed two teams to Uttarakhand for “Mission Watson”. The first team started its operation from June 20, with First Medical Response and Assessment for first couple of days and later relief material distribution and water and sanitation. Dr Kumar VLS member RDRT, IRCS, New Delhi, hailing from Shimoga was part of the first team. The team also installed NORIT water purification unit and T11 OXFAM water storage tank.
Prabhakar Kalkura's team of volunteers, the second one deployed, landed in Dehradun on July 10. This team is operating in Uttarkashi, Rudra Prayag districts regarding WASH (Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion). At present, the team is in Uttarakashi. Presently, the affected population is in temporary shelters and are vulnerable to water and sanitation diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid etc. Quality and quantity of the water, sanitation, solid waste management, drainage and behavioral change communication are the major challenges for the team.
The team has installed 2 NORIT water purification machine at Gupt Kashi and Phata. At present Prabhath Kalkura is at Uttarakashi. On behalf of National Disaster Water and Sanitation, IRCS New Delhi, he is facilitating water distribution, sanitation, hygine promotion and Behavioural Change Commuunication in the affected areas like Gangori, Bhehrachaut, Joshiara, Thiloth, Sangamchatti, Gyansu, Dindsari etc of this district. Around 7,000 liters of water is distributed everyday door-to-door. Along with this, sanitation, hygiene promotion and BCC are also being undertaken.
Destruction of infrastructure like water supply, shelter, roads, drainage and electricity have made people struggle for basic needs. Affected people are in mental agony. All relief distribution points witness chaos and agitation from the people. Still, relief materials are being supplied through helicopter to Batwadi area.
Another team from Karnataka - St John’s Medical College Disaster Management wing headed by Dr Preetesh Rohan Kiran - is working on the health aspect, and team of NIMHANS headed by Prof Dr K Sekar is working on psycho-social aspects in Uttarakhand.