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India Development and Relief Foundation's mission is : " to support volunteer-based, honest and highly experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India in serving their populations’ critical needs around education, healthcare, and welfare, without regard to religion, caste or creed.

• Asha for Education  is a well-known group of individuals working on education and other issues.
• Asha's Varanasi chapter is accepting donations for flood relief work: Click here .

Karmayog has compiled an extensive listing of organisations that are working in the flood areas and are accepting donations. See Here

North Bihar has a long history of flooding.Through a series of posts here, we will attempt to explain the background of flooding in Bihar and what are the root causes.

Courtesy: biharfloodrelief2008.blogspot.com 

Dr. Jagannath Mishra, former Chief Minister of Bihar, has given a pathetic description of floods in Bihar. He said that "Nobody from the government has gone to Saharsa so far. If the people in Saharsa are surviving, they must be saying that we are engulfed in water since ten days and nobody is there to think about us. This is quite worrisome. I will suggest that we must try to look after those surviving there. We must try to save them, whether by boats or a helicopter.. The flood in Saharsa is not a flood, this is unprecedented¦.we cannot call it a flood, it is a deluge." But wait, he is not talking about the recent floods (2008) in Bihar. He was making a speech in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha on the 13th September 1984 about a similar incident that took place on the 5th September 1984 near Navhatta in Saharsa district of north Bihar when the Kosi had breached its embankment at 75th kilometer south of the much talked about Bhimnagar Barrage and come out of the jacket just as it happened at Kusaha this year. Obviously, the powers that be refuse to take any lessons from the past mistakes and their executive wing, the Water Resources Department, is immune to any criticism and learning. The 1984 incident had uprooted nearly half a million people from their homes and hearths and engulfed 96 villages spread over 7 blocks of Saharsa and Supaul districts then. They could return to their homes only after the Holi festival in March 1985.

All is not well with the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) constituted on an order of the Government of India to determine the flow required to keep the Bhagirathi river 'alive and to ensure perennial environmental flow in the river'. It may be recalled that on June 30, 2008 the Government of India committed itself to "suitably ensure perennial environmental flow in all stretches of river Bhagirathi."This commitment was made in response to a representation of the Alumini Association of IIT- Kanpur to the Prime Minister of India requesting his intervention in the fast-unto-death undertaken by Dr. G.D. Agrawal , a former Dean of IIT-Kanpur -- to ensure the natural and uninterrupted flow of the Bhagirathi river between Gangotri and Dharasu (Uttarkashi). Subsequently the Ministry of Power, GoI, directed Shri R.S. Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director of NTPC, to constitute a high level expert group. The biggest problem with the HLEG is that it lacks the necessary scientific expertise to comprehensively address the issue. In a letter to Shri R.S. Sharma, rejecting his invitation to be a member of the HLEG, Dr G.D. Agrawal wrote, "Several members of the HLEG as constituted (including its Chairman) fall extremely short on any sort of expertise on river ecology and environmental flows...The commitment of most proposed members towards conservation of Bhagirathi Gangaji as the mother of India's faith, unity and culture is also questionable and I cannot afford to provide credibility to its deliberations and conclusions by being an ordinary member of the group."

About the Report: The flood situation report has been a joint effort of Megh Pyne Abhiyan's (literally clouds' water campaign, involving people around the issue of water and livelihood, and a functional network of grassroots organizations) partners - Gramyasheel, Supaul; Kosi Seva Sadan, Saharsa; Samta, Khagaria, Ghoghardiha Prakhand Swarajya Vikas Sangh, Madhubani; SAVERA, West Champaran; Luisa Cortesi and Eklavya Prasad in assistance with Santosh Jha of Gram Bharti, Raghopur.Supaul. For compiling the situation report, two days of field visit was undertaken by the team, involving extensive interaction with affected villagers from India and Nepal, discussion with members of civil society groups, deliberations with government officials (Sub Divisional Magistrate and Dy Superintendent of Police, Tribeniganj; District Magistrate, Supal) and internal exchange of idea between the partners of Megh Pyne Abhiyan (MPA) and the supporting organizations. During the field visit, the group started to explore the option of establishing a district level coordination group comprising of eminent personalities and professionals, representatives of non governmental organizations and media, to coordinate and steer the rescue and relief work with individuals, government agencies, non government organizations, donor agencies, corporate bodies etc. Hence, on 25th August during a district level meeting of local organizations, activists and donor agency, a consensus was reached to set up a coordination group, named as the Flood Action Coordination Group (FACG), Supaul.

General overview of the River: On the 18th of August the eastern embankment of Kosi near Kusaha in Nepal's Sunsari district breached. The breach itself has caused colossal loss of life and property in the south east tarai region of Nepal and in six districts of north Bihar, affecting more than 2.5 million human lives. After the breach, the river has shifted its course nearly 100 kilometres (kms) eastward from its earlier course (which use to pass through the districts of Supaul, Saharsa, Madhubani, Darbhanga and Khagaria).

Access the entire report:

Water conservation is an important part of responsible living. Water is a precious resource which is not to be squandered. Fortunately, there are a number of really easy ways to save water without a whole lot of hassle, and some of the best are listed here!

In the Kitchen Cut down on water usage in your kitchen using these methods. 1. Wash only on a full load: This is true for both washers and dishwashers. By washing in bulk, you'll cut down on the number of cycles you need to run. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that most dishwashers on a full load can clean dishes more efficiently than a hand wash. 2. Cut down on your disposal: Instead of using your disposal, start a compost pile for food waste. 3. Buy foods close to their natural form: Water is needed to produce just about everything from Coke to boxed mashed potatoes. You can cut down on your water consumption by avoiding processed foods that require lots of water to make.