Sundarban updates

Mukti steps up Cyclone Yaas relief

Several of AID’s partners, including Mukti, have been working to mitigate the effects of Cyclone Yaas in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Here is a short write-up on Mukti’s efforts. Mukti volunteers with the help of AID have started rebuilding the embankments in Sundarbans which were damanged during cyclone Yaas. Mukti has started “Food for Work” on a large...

Chetana Sangha’s Yaas relief work: statistics and more

On May 26th, 2021, Cyclone Yaas, which intensified into a “very severe cyclonic storm”, impacted the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha. Yaas lashed coastal areas of both states with ferocious winds and rains, bringing large waves of water that crashed into and flooded villages across the Sundarbans delta. River waters flooded above danger levels and concrete dams began to...

Update on BTS relief work for Cyclone Yaas

On May 30th, 2021, AID-India representatives held a meeting with on-ground partners, Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS), who provided a ground report on their relief work in the aftermath of Cyclone Yaas in the state of West Bengal. BTS reported that many homes and ponds remain flooded with water, leaving many hundreds of households unable to cook meals at home. BTS...

Sundarban partners featured in the news for Yaas relief work

Our long-term partners in the Sundarbans, Purbachintamonipur Chetana Sangha (PCS) and Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS) were featured on The Wire which covered the effects of cyclone Yaas on Sundarban. Ground report from the island. I just saw, devastation, despair and helplessness. #CycloneYaas #sundarban https://t.co/wEnkFiiBx4 — Himadri (@onlineGhosh) June 1, 2021 Quote from the article about AID-supported community kitchens run by...

Chetana Sangha: Report on Rebuilding Efforts After Cyclone Amphan

In the weeks and months after the Sundarban region was devastated by Cyclone Amphan, several of AID’s partners including Chetana Sangha have been working intensively with their communities to restore the lives and livelihoods of the region. Here is a brief report summarizing their work. Link to report

Grit in the face of adversities: an update from Sundarban

We at AID and our partner organizations are committed towards supporting the most vulnerable and under-served communities in India. Since cyclone Amphan struck and devastated livelihoods in Sundarban, we are aiming for long term rehabilitation at the last mile. Today we bring to a hopeful update that comes from Achintyanagar and Hatir Shur (elephant trunk) region of Patharpratima block in...

Daily updates from Amphan relief work: July 6-10

In this running post, we will give you an update of the activities being undertaken by each of AID’s grassroots partners in West Bengal for Amphan relief and rehabilitation. July 9: We have an update from AID’s partner Mukti, which is a non-profit socio-economic developmental organization based in the Sundarbans that has been working for the development of most vulnerable...

Amphan relief: Seed distribution with our partner DRCSC

DRCSC (Development Research Communication and Services Centre) is an agricultural resource centre working with several grassroots organizations in West Bengal. DRCSC is carrying out relief operations in E. Medinipur and N-24 Parganas districts in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan. In this series of posts, we will give you a glimpse of their work, including their grassroots operations as well as...

AID PICTAR ART Contest

Winners Announced! The results of the 2020 PICTAR contest are here! In its very first year of inception, the PICTAR contest received an overwhelming response from all over the world. What an event it proved to be! PICTAR was born out of the unexpected calamities the world faced in 2020 – severe natural catastrophes and a global pandemic that changed...

Amphan: Repair embankments, provide food, save lives

This is a continuation of our regular update (for June 12-14) on the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the people of the Sunderbans in collaboration with AID’s grassroots partners. Mukti, our grassroots partner, has been working on rehabilitating livelihoods in the areas affected by Cyclone Amphan. Under its Food for Work program, Mukti is now supporting 834 workers who are working...

Rebuilding update from Sunderbans: June 10

Here is a ground update from our partner Chetana Sangha for the period between June 5 and June 10. Primary relief: Chetana saw at least 8 families in the Hatisur area, Achintanagar gram, who are in an especially dire situation. They have nobody at home who can earn money, broken houses, and no food at home. In some cases women have...

Amphan: Rebuild lives, one piece at a time

Here is a ground update from our partners for June 3 and 4. Chetana Sangha is working to repair damaged embankments. They gave food supplies to the 250 or so labourers who are repairing the dams. In Kuemuri village: there are about 350 families whose houses are broken; the salt water in the rivers is an immediate problem. There...

Ground Updates from Chetana Sangha

Here are some updates from AID’s partner Chetana Sangha on its relief work over the past 3-4 days (upto June 1). Distribution of food items and tarpaulins at Quarantine Centers: Achintya Nagar Gram Panchayat has 16 centers and about 250 migrant workers. In Lakshmi Janardhanpur GP there are about 150 workers, and 140 people in Purna Chandrapur GP; 350 people...

In Conversation with Amitav Ghosh: Amphan, climate change, and the future of Sundarban | June 7

Live Video: Panelists: Amitav Ghosh, Sankar Halder (Mukti), Susanta Giri (Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha), Subimal Bera (Chetana Sangha), Somnath (AID) When: June 7th, 11 AM (EST) | 8 AM (PST) | 8.30 PM (IST) Where: Live on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and this page! You can also ask questions to the panelists by filling up the form below. AID is holding a panel...

Rebuild an embankment, rebuild lives

Here is a brief update from our grassroots partner Mukti, which has been conducting relief and rehabilitation efforts in the Sunderban areas affected by Cyclone Amphan. Villagers are rebuilding the embankments which were breached by the storm under MGNREGA funds. Through its Food for Work program, Mukti is organizing Rs 100 worth of rice and other supplies as a...

Amphan: Official updates from West Bengal Government

These government updates were received through our partners on the ground. Here is an online link. Details of the damage caused by cyclone Amphan – Govt. of West Bengal (28-05-2020) People: Six crore (60 million) affected; 87 dead; 8.13 lakh (0.83 million) evacuated; 2 lakh still in relief camps. Homes: 10 lakh (1 million) dwellings damaged. The state will release...

Amphan: First Situation Report from Sunderbans

This is a summary of a situation report prepared by long-time AID partner Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS), which can be accessed in full here. Brief Assessment Report on Amphan Cyclone – 2020 in Sundarban Name of the Organization: Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha, Based at Kultali, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Overall losses and damages in South 24 Parganas district: Massive devastation...

Amphan: Overall situation report from Odisha

This information is taken from “Cyclone ‘AMPHAN’ Report on Restoration and Damage Assessment” by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority, published here on 23.05.2020. Impact: Due to the impact of the cyclone 10 districts of Odisha (Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Khordha, and Puri) have been affected. 4 of them (i.e. Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur) have...

Responding to Amphan: May 26 update from partners

Here is another update from our grassroots partners as they start to focus more intensively on relief and rehabilitation work. Update from Chetana Sangha: Lockdown has prevented farmers from getting seeds for the coming season. The farmers had no way of selling their produce, which demoralized them; they decided not to plant for the next season. Our partner...

Amphan: Initial updates from DRCSC and Mukti

In the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, it has been difficult to get detailed reports on the full extent of the damage. However, some of our partners have been able to commence relief efforts and provide an initial ground report. Here is a summary. From our partner DRCSC (Development Research Communication and Services Centre): The seed storage in Hingalganj (N-24...

Amphan: Initial updates from partner BTS

In the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, it has been difficult to get detailed reports on the full extent of the damage. However, some of our partners have been able to commence relief efforts and provide an initial ground report. Here is a summary. From Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS): BTS works in several blocks in South 24 Parganas district. Several...

Amphan rapid assessment report of East Midnapore

by Kajla Jankalyan Samiti Livelihood profile in East Midnapore: Agriculture is the principal livelihood with almost 53% of the total workers being dependent on it. Sea as well as rivers play a vital role in the economy of the area, as more than 20% people engage them on sea resources as well as fisheries to make both ends meet. Above...

Sundarban - stories from the ground