Increased stress, anxiety about continuing education and means of livelihood are among the effects of the disaster seen on people in disaster affected villages in Uttarakhand.
This was one of the points revealed in the first draft of the multi-sectoral joint assessment report prepared by Save the Children in association with Plan India and Aide-et-Action.Save the Children initial response team leader Pradeep Kumar said that 15 of 27 villages assessed in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts reported fear of recurrence of floods, triggered by hearing rain or water flowing while 23 of 27 villages reported increased stress, and 20 reported that this increase was widespread.
“In villages where schools have been damaged or destroyed the study time of school children which was 3-4 hours per day before the disaster has decreased to little or nothing now. Our assessment is still continuing and we will submit the report with recommendations to the government in the near future,” he said.
Save the Children, national manager, Emergency, Ray Kancharla said that discussions were being held with Manav Sewa Sansthan to assess the situation in the worst affected villages of Pithoragarh district. “Children and the effects of disaster on them are generally ignored. Our child friendly spaces will function for at least six months providing a positive atmosphere for the children to help them overcome the situation,” he added.
Regional manager of Aide-et-Action, Sekhar Ambati with the disaster affecting the livelihoods of people, life skills have gained in importance. He said, “Adolescents and adults are concerned about their means of livelihood. Though people in all disaster affected areas have suffered from it, we found those in Ukhimath to be among the worst affected.”
The preliminary assessment revealed that children in many affected villages are unable to attend school regularly, that the children and adults are experiencing the psychological effects of the disaster and that the affected children recommend repairing roads, bridges and schools, appointing regular or new teachers, psychosocial support and ending deforestation.