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Seva Bharti
Sewa Bharati Gujarat Gujarat earthquake on 26th January ‘2001 will be remembered for several years. The devastation was phenomenal. Thousands of lives lost, cattle lost, several thousand injuries, loss of properly in homes, industry, trade the list can go on. SEWA BHARATI humbled joining several NGOs and Government in helping humanity by distributing daily needs, providing temporary shelter, setting up a hospital, transferring patients to different hospitals in the state, help remove dead bodies from debris and even helping military and masses in cremation. This was not all. Volunteer groups went to over 800 villages for psychological rehabilitation of children and women. Long term plans to help victims were chalked out. These included rebuilding schools and reallocate villages that were razed beyond 70%. SEWA BHARATI joined the government of Gujarat and became their partner in setting up 62 new schools and 14 villages. Districts of Kutch, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Patan and Banaskantha have been covered for school and villages reconstruction at a total cost of approx. Rs. 60 Crores. SEWA BHARATI was readily supported by donors from within the country and overseas. Individuals and organizations promoted by Sangh Parivar, State government of Goa and Jarkhand have generously donated for this programme. Construction department was set – up quickly. A staff of over 50 engineers, materials executive, account staff were appointed besides volunteers who engaged in overall co-ordination and management of projects. Earthquake resistance designs were evolved. The technology of hollow block that offers heat-cool balance was selected. A unified structure from foundation to slab that could offer tremendous advantage during severest earthquake was finalised. The teams then mobilized for construction activity. Traditional homes, (Bhungas) were also made in western Kutch so also few shops in bhachau, for quickly setting up markets. Our commitment to deliver quality workmanship, strength with design excellence needed regular times rather than rush on competing for quick completion. Schools were to be completed in 4 months, small villages in 7-9 months and villages beyond 200 homes in 12 months. This is not merely a construction activity. The stupendous task is to keep beneficiaries wait for a year for permanent shelter, interest groups intervention, water procurement from government agencies in far – flung areas not serviced through tube well / pipelines but by water tankers, procurement of canalized items at concessional rates through government machinery the land availability from government / agriculturists at reasonable prices, organise temporary electric connection for construction and so on. The challenge is to deliver a new village, keeping in mind the traditions, socio-economic profile, the needs and perceived needs of village men, socio-economic infrastructure that makes village, self sufficient. Village Hamiramora is completed and delivered. Benificiaries have moved into their new homes. By early March 2002, 40 schools and a village were completed. Five more villages were to be handed over in April 2002, one in May and the balance were to be handed over by the end of the year. All the schools were to be completed by March 2002. Model towns and schools, that will be remembered for decades are in the making. Charaiveti……….. Charaiveti………..
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