Role of Non Governmental Organization in Disaster Management

Research Paper 6(Special): 1485-1489, December 2015 ISSN: 0976-1675 https:// www.rjas.org DI: 2820-2707-2015-375 Role of Non Governmental Organization in Disaster Management Debabrata Mondal, Sarthak Chowdhury and Debabrata Basu* Department of Agricultural Extension, Economics and Statistics, Institute of Agriculture, Visva Bharati, Birbhum, Sriniketan - 731 235, West Bengal, India *Department of Agricultural Extension, B.C.K.V., Nadia - 741 252, West Bengal, India e-mail: mondal.debabrata@gmail.com Received: 27 July 2015; Revised accepted: 06 November 2015 A B S T R A C T NGOs are organizations that are nonprofit making, voluntary and independent of government, engaged in activities concerning various societal and developmental issues. The role of the NGO's during a disaster is to have quick response and to try and save as many lives as it can with the given funds. NGO's have a faster response to situations because it does not need to clear paperwork. A study was undertaken in cyclone Aila affected areas in West Bengal on role of Non Governmental Organization on disaster management. The main role performed by the NGOs were providing relief materials, organizing health camp, involved in rescue operation, arranging temporary shelters and so on. The data were collected in the month of October 2013 to March, 2014 to attain the objective of the study. A total 150 respondents were selected purposively as the respondents. The data were processed into percentage, mean and gap. The findings of the study conclude that, the people of the disaster affected area should inform the details of the disaster sufficiently ahead. Friends and relatives followed by electronic and print media were the better source of information about occurrence of disasters. The study also found that the role of the NGOs in disaster management were providing relief materials, involvement in rescue operations, arranging temporary shelters; organize health camp and developing communication facilities. NGO also provided training and education to the children. C Key words: Disaster management, Role of NGOs, Cyclone, Awareness, Relief and rehabilitation yclonic Storm Aila wrecked havoc on the coastal South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on May 25, 2009. Aila was the second tropical storm formed in Northern Indian Ocean in 2009. According to the Government data more than 11, 00,000 people who fled (their) homes had been sheltered in several hundred shelters in eight coastal districts so far. The Government survey estimated that the total Aila affected areas were: Blocks 111, Municipality 39, Villages 15401, and Population 4,53,8018.00 (GOI 2009). The purpose of NGOs is not to supplant the governmental relief agencies but to act as a coordinating mechanism between the government apparatus and the affected populace. The role of NGOs assumes significance in view of their wider engagement in civic and development initiatives. Factors such as disillusionment with centralized structures; emphasis on pluralism, expanded civic engagement; and collaboration amongst multiple actors explain this change in perception. (Behera 2002). NGOs can work toward reducing vulnerability through training, education and helping to establish a clear coordination of disaster response responsibilities (UNISDR 1485 2007). The main focus of NGO involvement in the field of disasters is largely with respect to relief and development. The NGO played a vital role in relief and rehabilitation work in the study areas. The NGOs provided food grains to the victims. The food grains consist of rice, pulse, mustard oil, soybean, baby foods, chira, gur, biscuits, shatoo, bulgar, bread etc. Some NGOs that are SSDC (Sunderban Social Development Centre), Sabuj Sangha, HDC (Human Development centre, Joynagar), Nazrul Smriti Sangha, Save the children, Mukti, Sabuj Sangha, BTS, WWF, Ramkrishna Mission, International care, Asha Bhavan Centre (Howrah), CASA (Church Auxiliary for Social Action), also arrange camp for distributing the cooked meal to the victims. They distributed these cooked items to those who came their camp. The NGOs provided kitchen sets for cooking food to the victims who have lost all the things. Clothes includes saree for women, lungi for men, towel, dhoti for old aged men, children garments etc. The NGOs organized medical camp for health facility to the victims. They provided medicines (ORS, Glucose, Chlorine tablets, bleaching power, geolin, lime etc) in the medical camp also. Some NGOs like WWF, Save the Children, and SSDC

provided soap, mosquito nets, sanitary napkins, tarpaulin, bamboo, candle, matches, gas cylinder, oven etc to the victims. NGOs also given facility to the villagers in supply of sufficient drinking water. Table 1 List of NGOs that involved in disaster management in the study area Block Organization Basanti DRCSC,PUS, IRCS, Bharat Seva Ashram Sangha Gosaba WWF,PUS,UNICEF, Sabuj Sangha, Gosaba Rupayan, Tagore Society for Rural Development, Sundarban Sir Dany Rail Ashram Namkhana WWF, Nimpith Ramakrishna Ashram, Sabuj Sangha Pathar Pratima UNICEF/OXFAM/INSS/DRCSC/SCF Kakdwip OXFAM/INSS, Nimpith Ramakrishna Ashram Sandeshkhali-I PRISM, SCF, Tagore Society for Rural Development (TSRD) Sandeshkhali-II PRISM, SCF, Tagore Society for Rural Development (TSRD) Some NGOs like WWF, Save the Children, and SSDC provided soap, mosquito nets, sanitary napkins, tarpaulin, bamboo, Candle, matches, gas cylinder, oven etc to the victims. NGOs also given facility to the villagers in supply of sufficient drinking water. NGOs also rescue the victims and took care of the affected people. They arrange the victim s shelter by providing tarpaulin and bamboo. They also helped in communication facility and rehabilitation works immediately after the disaster in the study areas.immediate relief was received by all the families. In Dakshin Sitarampur, the relief camp was in the Primary School, wherein cooked food is being served. Ramkrishna Mission was supplying food to the victims, including milk for all the families at the rate of 500 grams per family. Just after the Cyclone and flood NGOs rendered its initial /emergency relief aids to the victims in consultation with All-Party Relief Mission and extended our supports with Rice, Dal, Potato, Vegetables, Oil, Dry Foods like Chira, Gur, Biscuits, Temporary Shelter by providing Tarpaulins from AID funds and collecting relief materials from local humanitarian organizations like LWS-India(Lutheran World Services India (provided 400 kits with Rice, Dal, Oil,Tarpaulin, Halogin Tab); Caritas India through PUS- Baruipur for 375 families with Rice, Dal, Tarpaulins. NGOs had distributed relief materials like Rice, Dal, Potato, etc to the flood victims separately by using its volunteers. Food for Work to construct the River Bandhs was an important lead to be reported in this venture in exchange of Rice/Dal more people joined to do so besides wage from our Govt. MATERIALS AND METHODS The districts North and South 24 parganas of West Bengal were selected purposively for the study because these two districts were the most severely affected by Aila. Mondal et al. 2015 1486 Seven blocks namely Basanti, Gosaba, Namkhana, Kakdwip, Sandeshkhali I, Sandeshkhali-II and Parthar pratima and were selected purposively. From the selected blocks, 150 villagers were selected as respondents. The statistical tools viz., percentage, mean and gap were used to analyze the data. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Emerging trends in managing natural disaster have highlighted the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as one of the most effective alternative means of achieving an efficient alternative means of achieving an efficient communication link between the disaster management agencies and the affective community. The specific role of NGOs in respect to disaster management is: Pre-disaster Training and capacity building of NGO staffs and task forces; Set up of information channel to the village and district; Advocacy and planning; Regular contact with block control room. During disaster Activate of channel of warning dissemination to reach the target groups; Help block administration for wide dissemination of warning; Immediate rescue and first-aid, including psychological aid, supply of food, water, medicines, and other immediate need materials; Ensuring sanitation and hygiene; Damage assessment. Post- disaster Technical and material aid in reconstruction; Assistance in seeking financial aid; Monitoring From the above table it is amply evident that natural disaster occurs in the study areas in every year except in the year 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. However their impact of life varies from high to severe. In the year 2002 and 2003 their impact of life was high, in 1999, 2007 and 2008 was moderate and 2006 and 2009 was severe. A severe cyclonic storm passed over Sandeshkhali-I, Sandeshkhali-II, Hingalgunj and Minakhan blocks on 11.11.2002 affecting 5483 nos. of people. 195 no. of houses were destroyed and 731 were damaged due to the calamity. The event of crop area damaged was 644.30 ha. Heavy rainfall in 2003 caused flood, breach of embankments and erosion were reported from Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II blocks. Due to the calamity, 14 Blocks in North 24-Parganas district were severely affected. On 25 May, Cyclone Aila hit costal Bengal with a maximum wind speed of 120 kmph affecting over 1.5 million people. Over 6.77 million people have been affected and 137 killed in North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. The cyclone Aila collapsed more than 500 kilometers of embankments and 926,000 semi permanent houses. In West Bengal, the damage in North and

Role of Non Governmental Organization in Disaster Management South 24 Parganas has been the maximum. The total crop affected of 2, 56,750 ha. Information is transmitted through different media to appraise people about the occurrence of disaster and taking precautionary measures. It is observed from the table-3 that Majority of respondents (74.67%) were getting information from electronic media like T.V and Radio about occurrence of disasters. 70% of the respondent were getting information from friends and relatives. 46% reported that they were getting information from local institution like gram Panchayat and village ward members about occurrence of the disasters. Mixed responses were observed about the information through print media like newspapers, farm magazines, publicity through public relation department and NGOs. NGO also taking active part in disaster management but 62.00% of the respondents were never getting information about the occurrence of disaster. Type of hazard Year of occurrence Table 2 Occurrence of Natural Disasters (last 10 years) in the study area Impact of Duration Impact of livestock people Remarks Drought Affected to a great Possibility of damage of crops for 1998-99 One week Moderate extent want of sufficient water Cyclone 1999 2-3 days Moderate Death of some livestock Washing out of embankments Cyclonic storm Moderately affected Crop area damaged was 644.30 ha 2002 One week High with flood Flood Moderate Losses in Crop sector and Fisheries 2003 One week High sector were severe Cyclone Affected to a great Possibility damage of mud houses is 2006 2-3 days Severe extent very high. Flood 2007 One week Moderate Moderate Damage of Seasonal Crops Flood 2008 One week Moderate Affected to some extent Damages houses fully Cyclonic storm Two Causes death of huge Uprooting of big trees, damage of 2009 Severe with flood weeks livestock seasonal crops, damage houses fully Source of information Table 3 Sources of information utilized by the respondents with respect to the disaster (n=150) Extent of utilization of information sources Always Sometimes Never No Percentage No Percentage No Percentage Gap (%) Print media 45 30.00 12 8.00 93 62.00 1.68 44.00 Electronic media 112 74.67 24 16.00 14 9.33 2.65 11.67 Government official 55 36.67 39 26.00 56 37.33 1.99 33.67 Gram Panchayat 69 46.00 54 36.00 27 18.00 2.28 24.00 Friends and relatives 105 70.00 39 26.00 6 4.00 2.66 11.34 NGOs 33 22.00 24 16.00 93 62.00 1.60 46.67 Significant gaps were observed on the sources of information provided by the stakeholders as perceived by the respondents in the disasters affected study areas. The findings therefore reveal that the respondents are not getting information always from any of the source as mentioned in the (Table 3), but friends and relatives followed by electronic and print media were the better source of information about occurrence of disasters. The involvement of various stakeholders in disaster management revealed that 38% opined that friends and neighbours extended their participation and only 4% reported that involvement of credit institution (Table 4). Affected people required the support from state development department for relief materials and rehabilitation activities. NGOs have played pivotal role in providing many facilities. People needs the support from credit institutions for credit facilities for the renovation of essential infrastructures. Various voluntary organizations have the role of providing clothes and other essential household articles for livelihood. G.P members have to liaison with various organizations to supply essential commodities and development of infrastructures to overcome the loss. Press and media can exert pressure through news in public and private organizations to provide required facilities. Mixed responds obtained from the respondents indicated that all these institutions were extending support to some extent. All the stakeholders mentioned in the table have a lot of contribution in mitigation and management of disasters. It is therefore suggested that all these stakeholders have to further strengthen their management approach and provided adequate assistance and help affected people to mitigate and management of disasters like flood and cyclone. However, better assistance was provided by friends and neighbours, and voluntary organization and poor assistance provided by Press and media and credit institutions. It is clear from the table that friends and neighbours played an important role in disaster management. The study on the participation of the stakeholders in disaster management revealed that all the stakeholders under study were not participated adequately in disaster managements and significant gaps were observed on their participation. However friends and neighbours and 1487

voluntary organizations were participated better than others Institutions Mondal et al. 2015 stakeholders under study. Table 4 Participation of the stakeholders in disaster management (n=150) Extent of participation Very often Often Sometimes Never No. % No % No % No % Government organizations 30 20.00 24 16.00 75 50.00 21 14.00 2.42 39.50 Non-governmental Organization 39 26.00 42 28.00 48 32.00 21 14.00 2.33 41.75 Gram Panchayats 24 16.00 51 34.00 28 18.67 47 31.33 2.35 41.25 Friends and neighbours 57 38.00 63 42.00 21 14.00 9 6.00 3.12 22.00 Voluntary organization 45 30.00 27 18.00 51 34.00 27 18.00 2.60 35.00 Press and media 18 12.00 35 23.33 53 35.33 44 29.34 2.18 45.50 Credit institution 6 4.00 24 16.00 27 18.00 93 62.00 1.58 60.50 Maximum obtainable -4 Table 5 Opinion of the respondents about assistance provided by the Non Governmental Organization for mitigating the disaster Extent of opinion (n=150) Nature of assistance Strongly Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Agree Disagree No % No % No % No % No % Organize awareness camp 25 16.67 36 24.00 15 10.00 50 33.33 24 16.00 Providing relief material 78 52.00 66 44.00 00 00.00 18 12.00 15 10.00 Financial assistance 00 00.00 00 00.00 00 00.00 72 48.00 78 52.00 Involvement in rescue operation 69 46.00 72 48.00 00 00.00 03 2.00 06 4.00 Supply of agricultural inputs 12 8.00 18 12.00 21 14.00 75 50.00 24 16.00 Arranging temporary shelters 72 48.00 45 30.00 00 00.00 18 12.00 15 10.00 Organizing health camps 63 42.00 60 40.00 12 8.00 09 6.00 06 4.00 Developing communication facilities 51 34.00 48 32.00 18 12.00 15 10.00 18 12.00 Arrange/providing training and education 36 24.00 42 28.00 24 16.00 36 24.00 12 8.00 Gap (%) Majority of the respondents were strongly agreed about the assistance by the NGOs on all the statement mentioned in the table except financial assistance and supply of agricultural inputs (Table 5). Data revealed that majority of the respondents were agreed with the assistance for the providing relief materials, involvement in rescue operations, arranging temporary shelters, organize health camp and developing communication facilities. Besides these respondent were strongly agreed (24%) and agreed (28%) on the assistance for providing training and education to the children respectively. At the same time, majority of the respondents were strongly disagree (52%) and disagree (48 %) with their involvement in financial assistance. Table 6 Comparative analysis of the assistance provided by the NGOS (as perceived by the respondent) (n=150) Nature of assistance Gap (%) Organize awareness camp 2.82 43.60 Providing relief material 4.70 06.00 Financial assistance 1.48 70.40 Involvement in rescue operation 4.30 14.00 Supply of agricultural inputs 2.46 50.80 Arranging temporary shelters 4.04 19.20 Organizing health camps 4.10 18.00 Developing communication facilities 3.66 26.80 Arrange/providing training and education 3.36 32.80 Significant gaps were observed on the assistance provided by the NGOs as perceived by the respondents in the study areas. It is therefore suggested that NGOs have to further strengthen their management approach and provided adequate assistance and help affected people to mitigate and management of disasters. However, better assistance was provided on providing relief materials, involvement in rescue operation, organizing health camp and arranging temporary shelters. Mixed responses were obtained about the precautionary measures taken by the respondents for the occurrence of the disasters like flood and cyclone except majority of the respondents taken preparedness measures for preservation of safe drinking water (56.00%) and never preserving common medicines (54.00%) and majority of the respondent (56%) demanded government services for all support. 52% of the respondents shifted important documents/ materials to a safer places. Though deficiencies were observed on preparedness measures taken by the respondents on various aspects covered under study,poor preparedness measures were observed on storing ready to eat materials, collection of materials for temporary shed, preservation of common medicines for health and drinking water, in day to day use drinking disasters, keeping communication materials particularly radio and mobile for getting information about further sensitization of the disasters and contact over mobile with the government functionaries in emergency. 1488

Role of Non Governmental Organization in Disaster Management Table 7 Preparedness measures taken by the individual respondent as pre-disaster management Extent of measures taken Precautionary measures Always Sometimes Never No % No % No % Temporary change of permanent place 69 46.00 60 40.00 21 14.00 2.32 22.67 Storing of food items 45 30.00 57 38.00 48 32.00 1.98 34.00 Shifting of cattle 78 52.00 36 24.00 36 24.00 1.76 41.33 Collect medicine from govt./ local Gap (%) 24 16.00 45 30.00 81 54.00 1.62 46.00 administration Collection of safe drinking water 33 22.00 84 56.00 33 22.00 2.00 33.33 Collection of materials for cooking food 54 36.00 38 25.33 58 38.67 1.97 34.33 Collection and storing of cattle feed 56 37.33 75 50.00 19 12.67 2.25 25.00 Collection of materials for temporary shed 36 24.00 81 54.00 33 22.00 2.02 32.67 Shifting important household materials 78 52.00 44 29.33 28 18.67 2.33 22.33 Demanding Govt. services for all support 84 56.00 36 24.00 30 20.00 2.36 21.33 Keeping communication materials with self 42 28.00 75 50.00 33 22.00 2.06 31.33 The role of NGOs is a potential key element in disaster management. The NGOs operating at grassroots level can provide a suitable alternative as they have an edge over governmental agencies for invoking community involvement. This is chiefly because; the NGO sector has strong linkages with the community base, and can exhibit great flexibility in procedural matters vis-à-vis the government. The findings of the study conclude that, the people of the disaster affected area should inform the details of the disaster sufficiently ahead. The people must be made conscious towards preserving safe drinking water, usable assets, materials for temporary shed and common medicines in addition to other safety measures usually done by them. Friends and relatives followed by electronic and print media were the better source of information about occurrence of disasters. The NGO provided assistance for the providing relief materials, involvement in rescue operations, arranging temporary shelters, organize health camp. Besides these NGO also arrange on the assistance for providing training and education to the children respectively. But they did not provided any financial assistance. In terms of preparedness measures were taken by the respondents themselves were preservation of safe drinking water, shifted important documents/ materials to a safer places. Although poor preparedness measures were observed on storing ready to eat materials, collection of materials for temporary shed, preservation of common medicines for health and drinking water, in day to day use drinking disasters, keeping communication materials particularly radio and mobile for getting information about further sensitization of the disasters and contact over mobile with the government functionaries in emergency. LITERATURE CITED Behera A. 2002. Government - NGO Collaboration for Disaster Reduction and Response: The India (Orissa) Experience, paper presented at the Regional Workshop on Networking and Collaboration among NGOs of Asian Countries in Disaster Reduction and Response, 20-22 February 2002, Kobe, Japan. GoI. 2009. National Disaster Management Guidelines/Management of Floods. National Disaster Management Authority. pp 19. GOI-UNDP. 2002-2009. Disaster Risk Management Programme, New Delhi. pp 21. GoWB. 2009. Situation report cyclone Aila. Palli Unnayan Samiti, Baruipur: Aila Cyclone Report. Samantary S K. 2014. Disaster management: An overview of people s perception, The Journal of Rural and Agricultural Research 14(2): 66-69. UNISDR. 2007. Disaster Risk Reduction, 2007: Global Review. Geneva: United Nations. 1489