GLOBAL PR CONNECT (GPRC)
New Delhi [India], June 15: With Cyclone Biparjoy scheduled to make landfall on 15th June 2023, communities across coastal regions in Gujarat and Maharashtra in Western India, and in adjoining areas of Pakistan are braced to face the impact. Working tirelessly, multiple government agencies including the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force (Gujarat) have evacuated more than 45,000 people from seven districts of Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat.
Sneh Samuday, a community support group formed after the 2001 earthquake in Kutch, Gujarat, and Ekal Nari Shakti Manch (ENSM), a feminist organisation led by and working for single women and ActionAid Association, India, have been helping authorities in the evacuation process, particularly for the most marginalized communities including Dalits, Muslims, tribals, and pastoralists. Additionally, ActionAid Association and its allies are monitoring that the temporary shelters are provided with basic facilities, as well as advocating for the improvement of living conditions in these shelters.
Gomti Chavda, former president of ENSM and a member of Sneh Samuday, says: "With the learning of 2001 and other emergencies after that including COVID, Sneh Samuday and Ekal Nari Shakti Manch have been leading emergency relief response supporting thousands of people. In our efforts we put at the forefront the marginalized and socially excluded communities, who are otherwise considered last or completely left out."
Sushila Prajapati, who leads ActionAid Association's work in Gujarat says, "The authorities have done well in alerting communities and ensuring evacuation, so we do hope that loss of life will be minimal. However, the danger to thatched houses, livelihoods, agricultural fields, waterbodies and property including kutcha/pucca roads, powerlines and signalling system is a matter of great concern. Our teams are in place to do a rapid assessment of the damage and contribute to the wider relief operations where needed."
Sandeep Chachra, Executive Director of ActionAid Association, says: "It is now clear that the increased frequency and severity of calamities we see in India and many other places is due to human-induced climate change. Our experience shows us that extreme climate events such as cyclones can cause severe damage to the livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities. They cause widespread damage to standing crops, plantations, trees and orchards, small boats and country crafts get detached from moorings, affecting the lifelines of fisherfolk, tribal communities and forest dwellers. The Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis report of the IPCC clearly states that this is how climate change impacts marginalized communities. While we must provide all humanitarian support in this emergency situation, we must also look to set up a climate change loss and damage at the national level to help build resilience of vulnerable communities and help rehabilitate survivors with the principle of build back better."
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