DISASTER RESPONSE
Being a disaster-prone country, India is highly vulnerable to various types of natural calamities due to its geographical positioning. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, Govt. of India, more than 58.6% of the country’s landmass is prone to earthquakes and over 12% is prone to floods; close to 5,700kms out of the 7,516kms long coastline is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; while 68% of its cultivable area is prone to droughts which is why disaster preparedness is of outmost importance.
Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing vulnerabilities related to changing demographics, socio-economic conditions- unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk zones, environmental degradation, climate change, and epidemics and pandemics. All these factors have created a situation where disasters seriously threaten the sustainable development of the country, besides innumerable lives and livelihoods.
MAHARISHI PATANJALI EDUCATION GROUP with its welfare interventions focused on children and their families, responds to the call of humanity in times of such calamities under its Disaster Response programme through emergency relief programs. From the Kashmir earthquake in 2005 to the Uttarakhand floods in 2013, MAHARISHI PATANJALI EDUCATION GROUP has acted promptly to reach out and respond to the immediate needs of the disaster affected people, while also maintaining a sustainable approach to help them rebuild their lives by facilitating their education, healthcare and livelihood.
Some of the calamities during which MAHARISHI PATANJALI EDUCATION GROUP has initiated crisis management during disaster are the Tsunami, the Kashmir Earthquake, the Maharashtra floods, the Bihar floods and the Uttarakhand floods.
KERALA FLOOD
In the late-end of July, 2018, severe flooding affected the Indian state of Kerala due to sudden unusual high rainfall during the monsoon season. It was the worst flooding in Kerala in almost a century. Nearly, 400 people died within half a month, while at least 4.5 lakh people were evacuated. All 14 districts of the state were placed on high alert.
CHENNAI FLOOD
The southern coast of India saw the worst torrential rainfall ever in the month of November 2015. The heavy rainfall continued from the 8th of November till the 14th of December 2015…
UTTARAKHAND FLOODS
Uttrakhand, a state known for its sweeping panoramas of mist covered mountains, rivers, lakes and glaciers faced the wrath of nature when the calamitous flash floods in the year of 2013 brought…
MASOODPUR FIRE
Over 4000 people lost their homes and belongings as a massive fire destroyed more than 700 jhuggis (shanties) in a slum cluster in Masoodpur area, near Vasant Kunj, in Delhi in April 2014…
BIHAR FLOODS
The Kosi floods, which in 2008 affected more than 3.3 million people, causing hundreds of deaths, flooding over 900 villages and damaging more than 200,000 houses, were one of the worst in India…
KASHMIR EARTHQUAKE
The devastating earthquake in 2005, which took the lives of over 1400 people in Kashmir, India and nearly 80,000 in Pakistan, destroyed the lives of many as whole villages became homeless…
TSUNAMI
The large scale devastation caused by the 2004 Tsunami in South Asia, including parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands across the Indian coastline…
MAHARASHTRA FLOODS
The Maharashtra floods of 2005, caused by torrential rainfall, claimed over 5000 lives, as many more lost their homes, their livelihood and families. The entire nation joined hands in prayer and service to help.
My father does not understand English but he loves to hear me use it.
I want to improve the conditions that my parents live in. I am working towards it.
Our daughter is our strength and hope. She is the youngest in the family, but she motivates everyone”- Shashi’s mother. She can say this because Shashi has emerged a fighter in the midst of a lot of problems. Her mother is proud of her and so are her other family members.
