Children of Dhemaji

Dhemaji District is situated in the remotest corner of North East India on the north bank of River Brahmaputra. The urban population is only 1.85%, indicating the predominantly rural character of the district. The economic condition of the people of Dhemaji area is appaling; one can see the face of poverty everywhere. There is lack of even the most basic of public amenities in every sphere of life, not to mention the absence of such essential infrastructure as roadways, power, and communication facilities. There are no significant small-scale industries and not a single big industry in the entire Dhemaji District.

Dhemaji District has always been vulnerable to floods. In the years 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004, due to breaches on the embankment of the Brahmaputra, Dhemaji District reeled under devastating floods. The embankment on the Brahmaputra, constructed during the nineteen fifties to fend off the yearly onslaughts of the river, has waned out with the passage of time. Numerous open breaches on the embankment canalize the rising water of the river during the monsoon season to thousands of villages throughout the district. The floods affect every walk of life; they damage a huge amount of standing crops; and they break the communication system and the rural houses beyond repair. The after-effects of the floods are also disastrous. The intensive inundation and water logging in the paddies coupled with sand deposition make many areas unviable for future cultivation. Inundation of the existing drinking water sources lead to crisis in the supplies of safe drinking water and consequently to rampant water borne diseases. Because of the breakdown of the communication infrastructure and inadequate health care facilities, many people including young children die of diseases like malaria and jaundice. Over the years, the whole situation has led to displacement of the riverine community causing them to live for years on the bank of the Brahmaputra or its tributaries, destroying their livelihood opportunities and forcing them to displacement.

Government Response
The attitude of the state organs towards flood management is mostly reactionary. Disasters are looked upon as “acts of God,” and no thought is given to devising strategies for mitigating the disaster and preparing the flood-affected communities to cope. Every year, the government allocates a large amount of money to repair the breaches of the embankment. However, most of the time, this has turned into a money making machine for contractors and corrupt officials who grab the lions share while doing little to mitigate the suffering of people.

An organization called the Rural Volunteer Force (RVC) has done commendable work in the areas of appropriate technology (low-cost latrines, solar electrification, watershed development and so on); disaster management; strengthening of voluntary organization; formation of self-help groups; organic farming; livestock rearing; and health awareness. The RVC was set up in 1989 by Ravindranath, an engineer who completed his Masters in Rural Energy at IIT Delhi, before proceeding to work with Social Work and Research Center (SWRC). He also worked under the noted social worker Bunker Roy. He started to work initially in Arunachal Pradesh and later moved down to the Akajan-Silapthar area. Ravi’s wife, Sathyasree is from Guwahati. The following about herself, is in her own words: “I am an Assamese born as the 6th daughter to Mr. P.N. Goswami and Ms. Biva Goswami of Chenikuthi. Educated partly in Cotton College, I have been working in Akajan from 1995 and took a break for two years to work with drought affected people of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Now I volunteer for RVC and I have started a collective called Shakti (shakti_collective@yahoo.com ) to work on holistic community health and right to health and health care, where I work full time based in Akajan village.”

Today RVC’s works span the entire Dhemaji District and Dhakuakhana Block of North Lakhimpur District in Assam. It aims to strengthen the coping mechanisms of the flood-affected communities and come up with means for alternative livelihood generation for the marginalized sections in the area. Ravindranath, his wife Sathyasree Goswami and a group of dedicated volunteers at the Rural Volunteers Center (RVC) at Silapathar are doing a fantastic job of rehabilitating victims of repeated floods and helping many get back on their feet again after years of homelessness and hunger

Children of Dhemaji
These are the children suffering from the worst of Nature, often displaced from their original home and forgotten by the mainstream. These are the children whose near and dear ones died during floods. Many had to discontinue their education. Some had to work as daily wage laborers to earn their living. While they struggle to make the both ends meet, they still dream that they will be able to complete their education and become productive citizens.

Your support
We can definitely contribute in their effort. Even a little help from us will go a long way to fulfill their dream. As mentioned earlier, Ravindranath and his wife Sathyasree Goswami, who live at Silapathar and lead their many efforts are making a measurable difference for the many people whose lives have been ravaged by repeated floods. We are planning to work with them and provide financial support for a sustainable development.

Please contact ankurbora@hotmail.com if you are interested in contributing in this effort.

The author thanks Chandan Mahanta of St. Louis for contributing to some of the contents of the article.

Contributed by Ankur Bora, Texas.