(IN) VSPCA Orissa Flood Relief Report

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends, here is our report and a photo slide show is coming soon. This

report is available as a word document as well, please contact us for it at

info or Pradeep Nath at vspcadeep in case it can't

be view properly below. Well all of us on this list probably know what the

disaster relief medical camp photos look like and can't send photos to these

anyway, but here is a link of interest to the dramatic NASA photo

map of the overflowing Mahanadi River in Orissa

http://www.spaceref.com/news/picture_of_the_day?pid=472

 

Please scroll down for our mention to all helping and VSPCA philosophy in

disaster relief help.

Kind regards from Pradeep Nath and all of us at Visakha SPCA.

-- Weintraub (USA), VSPCA volunteer for Global Outreach

 

 

 

VSPCA's Impact to Animals and People in CUTTACK, ORISSA

From 29-9-08 TO 6-10-08

 

 

 

WHY AT CUTTACK:

 

 

 

Cuttack is the largest district of Orissa state. The most affected place is due

to the the third successive recent flooding of Orissa! With Gram Panchayat (GP)

and villages, the entire district of Orissa was almost engulfed in the deluge of

Mahanadi River.

 

 

 

As much beauty as it brings in other times, the unique topography of this

district has made it the most vulnerable and destroyed and disturbed entire

habitations. The presence of four important tributaries of the Mahanadi make it

very populated. The District is described as a 'bowl' and that describes its

prone to flooding.

 

 

 

Thus the overflowing Mahanadi River had its repercussion on her tributaries

which overran the " depth villages. Flowing through the length and breadth of the

District the tributaries completely submerged almost the entire district.

 

 

 

The intensity of the flow was so intense that even buildings with good

foundations collapsed. Just now we found that after nearly fifteen days people

were sitting and spending their nights on these makeshift collapsed buildings

using them as platforms.

 

 

 

 

ATTITUDE OF THE ORISSA GOVERNMENT:

 

 

 

The Government of Orissa under the Animal Husbandry Department has been doing

their part and with the first opportunity began their rescue mission with human

welfare as their primary policy and thus began their efforts in their Panchayats

of the affected livestock in 19 districts and villages to provide deworming and

vaccination possible to more than 26 lakh (2,600,000) livestock which is an

immense task for them to meet alone.

 

 

 

Any hope for the abandoned street animals that do not immediately come under

their domain are the worst affected and even now, their abandonent is our

obvious focus of attention.

 

 

 

However, The Director of Animal Husbandry of the Government of Orissa has been

most forthcoming and been cooperative, working with us to provide

accommodation, vehicle and a vet and helpers to carry out selectively planned

mega camps.

 

 

ATTITUDE OF THE PUBLIC:

 

 

 

 

However the public wherever and whomever we met have severely complained of no

government help and that we were also the first humans to reach out help to

their livestock. Their grumbling was serious warning to our team that we were

doing nothing to help the humans even though we were assisting to their

livestock. Their irritation was even higher when the street animals were being

treated and fed by us -- this was our major obstacle.

 

 

 

OUR DONATIONS:

 

 

 

So far we have provided 20 tonnes of animal feed buying from the local areas (5

tonnes at each camp). The government is also providing feed.

 

 

 

 

Mineral mixtures and medicines are being provided along with the food because of

extreme malnutrition upon the vet's advice.

 

 

 

OUR EFFORTS:

 

 

 

No. Of Blocks Covered: : 5

 

 

 

Name of the Blocks : 1. MAHANGA BLOCK

 

2.

NISCHINTAKOILI BLOCK

 

3.

SALIPUR BLOCK

 

4.

BANKI 1 BLOCK

 

5.

BANKI II BLOCK

 

 

 

No. Of Gram Panchayats and Villages of these blocks:

 

 

Blocks

Mahanga

Nischintakoili

Salipur

Banki I

Banki II

 

Gram panchayats

34

40

32

1 Municipality, 34 GP

 

Villages

192

225

 

203

 

 

 

 

Out of these GP and villages most affected areas:

 

 

 

Blocks

Mahanga

Nischintakoili

Salipur Banki I & II

 

Gram panchayats

27

23

10

34

 

Villages

95

106

27

203

 

 

 

 

Critically most affected villages in these blocks:

 

 

 

S.L No

Blocks

No. of villages

Name of the villages

 

1.

Mahanga Block

 

 

 

 

5

1. Samasapur Village

 

2. Bheda Village

 

3. Laptuan Village

 

4. Bedasalipur Village

 

5. Ramakrishna Puram

 

 

 

 

2.

Nischintakoili Block 8

1. Nemalo Village

 

2. Maligoan Village

 

3. Mulasuanga Village

 

4. Tilkona Village

 

5. Mahamadpur

 

6. Bagura

 

7. Bhagwan pur

 

8. Thrilokana Village

 

 

 

 

3.

Salipur Block 5

1. Batsali

 

2. Bateswar

 

3. Chapatti

 

4. Mundesoli

 

5. Haripur

 

 

 

 

4.

Banki I & II Blocks 6

1. Chakulpur

 

2. Kusupangi

 

3. Bilipada

 

4. Saradhapur

 

5. Mantyselory

 

6. Ostapur

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are critically affected villages which has been still not been reached.

In co-operation and co-ordination with Government of Orissa, Animal Husbandry

Department we are reaching out to these places on a priority bases, our focus

has been on the abandoned sick, injured, and homeless/street animals that remain

after the disaster. We have developed a makeshift shelter near to the district

where critical animals have been brought in for continuous monitoring.

 

MEDICINES PROVIDED:

 

 

 

v Antibiotics

 

v Vitamins

 

v Mineral Mixture

 

v Medicine for Blood

 

v Protozoan Parasite

 

a) Protolux

 

v Anti allergic & Anti Cold

 

b) Chlorophenisamol

 

v Liver extent

 

v Anti Diarrhea Bolus

 

v Deworming

 

v Dressing of Wounded Animals

 

v Oxycloza Fort

 

v Alper

 

v Oxy Tetracycline Injection

 

v Gentamycine Injection

 

v Predorisoln Injection

 

v Bexonist

 

v Rintose

 

v Astringent powder

 

v Cough Powder

 

v Tetra Cycline

 

v Negsant powder

 

v Saline

 

v Dispencies

 

v Antistomach

 

v B-Complex

 

v Anti-tussirl

 

v Multivitamins Injections

 

v Digestive Tonics

 

v Anti-diarrhea block

 

v Deworming Albenzole

 

 

 

TREATMENT IN THE CAMP:

 

 

 

Name of animals treated

Mahanga Block

Nischintakoili Block

Salipur Block

Banki I & II Block

 

Cattle & Buffaloes

348

73

284

544

 

Sheep & Goat

354

24

20

--

 

Dog

102

8

15

15

 

Cat

26

-

1

1

 

Total

830

105

320

560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benefited Farmers (Cattle)

162

52

140

190

 

Small Animal owners (Sheep & Goat)

68

6

8

8

 

Dog & Cat owners

32

2

2

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STAFF ENGAGED IN MEDICAL CAMP:

 

Staff Mahanga Block Medical camp,

 

Dt: 29-9-08

Nischintakoili Block- Medical Camp,

 

Dt: 4-10-08

Salipur Block- Medical Camp,

 

Dt: 4-10-08

Banki I & II Block-

 

Medical Camp,

 

Dt: 6-10-08

 

Animal Husbandry Department Staff 5-Veterinary Doctors

 

10-Live stock Inspectors

 

5- Attendants

 

3- Gomitra Staff

 

3- Official Staff of CDVO

1- Veterinary Doctor

 

1- Live Stock Inspector

 

2- Attendants

1- Veterinary

 

Doctor

 

1- Live Stock

 

Inspector

1- Veterinary

 

Doctor

 

1- Live Stock

 

Inspector

 

VSPCA Staff P.V.S.V. Prasada Rao

 

K.S. Chandra Mouli

P.V.S.V. Prasada Rao- (I)

 

K. S. Chandra Mouli- (C.O)

 

R. Rama Rao (S)

 

Appala Suri- (L.A. H.)

 

Bangar Raju- (S.A. H)

 

R. Ramu (D.C.)

 

 

-Same-

 

 

-Same-

 

 

 

Note: I = In charge

 

C.O. = Co- coordinator

 

S = Supervisor

 

L.A.H= Large Animal Helper

 

S.A. H= Small Animal Helper

 

D.C = Dog Catcher

 

 

 

HINDRANCES:

 

 

 

v Very far off places to reach on a daily basis.

 

 

 

v Rugged roads making transportation difficult.

 

 

 

v Opposition from local people to lift the emergency dogs for treatment and

continuous monitoring. They have never seen anyone care for the street dogs and

believe the rumor that the dogs would be slaughtered for feeding zoo animals!

We are trying to make headway in clarifying to these villages what are mission

is and also to understand the origin of these false and damaging ideas.

 

v People have been complaining of lack of help to them from the Government

while the animals are getting help before them.

 

 

 

 

REMARKS:

 

 

 

We hope that the animals of Orissa get their share of " dues-help " which is

overdue. The animals have suffered from delays in assessment and action. We

consider impact at Orissa was much greater than the recent situation at Bihar

as the natural disaster was of a continuous nature that accumulated over three

months.

 

 

 

We are working with the following groups:

 

Blue Cross of Hyderabad

 

Cuttack SPCA

 

Government of Orissa, Department of Husbandry

 

 

 

We are grateful to Mrs. Amala Akkineni, Hon. Secretary, Blue Cross of Hyderabad

and Member, AWBI, for her help in providing medicines and with whose cooperation

and teams we can now move to Puri District on the Bay of Bengal and work with

the genuine contacts and Government of Orissa, Animal Husbandry. Our sincere

thanks goes out to the Cuttack SPCA for readily agreeing to keep animals needing

emergency help at their facility.

 

 

 

Ahimsa Foundation has made it all possible along with kind individual donors.

 

 

 

Our hope is to be working in Orissa as long as is required.

 

 

 

We are happy to note that PFA's Maitri and APOWA are working at Kendrapara and

Nayagarh Districts to help the distressed animals. Dr. Ashish, WSPA Coordinator

had come down to Cuttack and met with Animal Husbandry with our Representative

Mr. Rajsekhar of VSPCA and Mr. Jevan Das of PFA. He also visited VSPCA ground

staff, assessed the situation on the field and WSPA is continuing their field

analysis of the situation.

 

 

 

CONTINUING EFFORTS:

 

 

 

We sincerely hope our efforts will instill more inspiration, learnings,

education and awareness for developing and putting in place- " Natural Risk

Reduction Scheme " for future distress.

 

 

 

We would continue to develop and consolidate our experience and knowledge gained

to deal with conditions " on- spot situations " and " future situations " to save

more lives.

 

 

 

This is an opportunity for all of us to come together and work towards setting

up a comprehensive Natural Disaster Management Plan. This is what VSPCA has

longed to do for years rather than sit by helplessly when disaster strikes or

try to come in at the last minute and be too late to prevent tragedies from

happening. Ideally our aim is to be prepared and ready to help with the

cooperation of all groups working together.

 

 

 

--

Why are we helping in disaster relief?

 

 

1. animals are abandoned whose owners may be dead, incapable of helping them or

don't care about them

2. the relief teams with their signs about helping animals are a tremendous

boost to humane awareness saying that we care about animals enough to help them

specifically

3. not only livestock but dogs, cats, wildlife are affected and need help

4. for the farm animals themselves often in these rural settings they are a

part of the farmer's life and not all are designated for eventual slaughter,

this is different than our factory farms in the west.

5. groups like Heifer Project do not care about animals lives and buy new and

replacement animals after disasters, we care about the existing and distressed

animals

6. this time of year there are religious but illegal animal sacrifices and our

presence can help dissuade this

7. it is an opportunity for us along with the local government, local NGO's, and

international relief groups -- we can all encourage, strengthen and help

coordinate together. With 19 districts affected we need all hands on deck!

 

Needless to say, Visakha SPCA does not believe that any animal should be used

for food, profit, or any other purpose detrimental to their life and well being.

 

 

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