India: In The Kosi Flood Camps, No Relief

By Manisha Prakash

Specks of blue and yellow plastic form the landscape of Purnia in Bihar, a state that has witnessed one of the worst floods in recent history. As one gets closer, the plastic colours emerge into what they really are - sub-human makeshift dwellings for the poor victims of the ravenous Kosi. Families are tightly packed into these tiny tents - an absymal pitch in the name of flood relief. So very cramped for space are these temporary homes that one has to crawl on all fours to get inside. Wouldn't it be better to simply stay out? Not if one prefers the company of snakes and countless insects found hovering around the puddles of dirty stagnant water - another widespread feature of these camps set up by the government. Amidst the large numbers of humans and other species, what is missing is safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

Life for millions of Kosi flood victims has hit rock bottom. Those who have managed to survive, after having lost their homes, loved ones, breadwinners and livestock, now have to endure pitiable living conditions, with women and children the worst affected.

Kiran Devi hails from Jorgama village in Madhepura, the worst flood-affected district in the state. She laments, "In our camp, there is always a long line at the hand pump - the only source of water in the area. We have to wait for hours on end for our turn. Of course, for women the difficulties are the greatest: We have to do everything from washing clothes and utensils to bathing the children, during our brief turn at the pump."

Despite the need to stay clean, most women do not use soap. "We hardly have money to buy food. All that we had was washed away in floods. Where is the money to buy soap?" retorted one woman.

Expectedly, the lack of personal hygiene makes the women vulnerable to a number of health hazards, particularly during menstruation. "Our saris get stained. But we don't have enough cloth. As the water source is at a distance and in the open, we can't even wash frequently. We have to manage somehow but buying soap or sanitary napkins is simply out of the question," says Kiran.

Ironically, one camp bore evidence of well-intentioned stickers with the message 'saaf hathhon mein hai dum' (clean hands have power). But they are unlikely to make a difference.

Despite the odds, however, the women haven't given up the desire to keep clean. At the camp near Mirchaiwadi Chowk in Banmanki sub-division of Purnia, even as hundreds of men, women and children share a single handpump located near the main highway, NH-107, young girls brave the discomfort and have a bath at the edge of the busy highway.

Poor sanitation is the next big threat after the river, causing an alarming number of cases of diarrhoea, stomach ailments and unexplained fevers. Soma Devi, a mother of 12 children, had been running a high temperature and was suffering from diarrhoea for several days, but there was no one to provide her with proper treatment nor was there any medication available at her camp in Mirchaiwadi. Finally, she had to visit a neighbouring camp at JBC canal to get a modicum of healthcare. Since then her health has improved but she has a long way to go before complete recovery. Manju Devi, from Meerganj in Madhepura, was on a glucose drip for several days at the Sadar Hospital. She had contracted acute diarrhoea. Urmila Devi spent Rs 1,600 (US$1=Rs 49.30) on medical bills alone. She was suffering from many ailments, many of which were brought on by her present circumstances.

In addition to the scarcity of potable water and medical facilities, toilets are another major concern. Although temporary toilets have been installed at the camps, their horrifying state encourages people to go out in the open.

At a "mega" camp in Purnia, the inhabitants manage to arrange for a bit of another much-needed requirement: privacy. The limited space within the tents that are home to at least four families is demarcated by curtains made of old saris propped up by bamboo sticks.

And here, amid all the challenges, life goes on. It was here that Chandika Devi gave birth to her daughter on the night of September 13, without any medical aid. Her aunt, Medni Devi, says that there was no doctor available at night so they simply managed. When asked what she did to ensure that the mother and child didn't contract infection, she says, "We sold a goat to buy soap, oil and other necessary things. We have nothing left now."

Though there is a team of four 'anganwadi sevikas' (workers), headed by an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) that sits in another tent at the mega camp, these workers claim that they are simply not equipped to deal with such large numbers. Sitting in their starched white saris, they seem out of place amidst the grime and stench around them. There's even a long list of 'To-Dos' that hangs at the entrance of their tent to remind them of their duties. Maintaining hygiene is one of the tasks listed. But that clearly has had no effect on anyone.

Talking about their 'efforts' to maintain cleanliness, Sebastina Toppo, the ANM, says they have provided every family staying in the camp with one piece of soap. "Besides, bleaching powder is sprayed in the mornings and in evenings and seven workers have been designated to ensure cleanliness," she says. But Sebastina does admit that, "it is not possible to keep the huge camp clean at all hours given the high numbers of people." In fact, the ANM and the 'sevikas' (workers) express their helplessness in the face of mounting problems.

For many of these poverty-stricken camp dwellers, it is the resilience that has always marked their lives which has helped them cope with the enormous challenges that life has brought. They to cling to hope, despite the fact that they have suffered great loss and have been forced out of their homes and villages. Take the case of young Bijendra Ram and Babli Devi, who recently decided to tie the knot. With the support of the NGO Nidan, the families of the happy couple erected a decorative 'marwa' (a canopy used for a Hindu marriage ceremony) with festoons and colourful paper cutouts. Everyone at the camp came to bless the happy couple and enjoy a simple feast, forgetting their innumerable difficulties - at least for a night.

(Courtesy: Women's Feature Service)

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