Amphan Diaries, 28th May:

Cyclone-affected people have started receiving help from the panchayats to rebuild their houses. They are being distributed tripols so that they can have a shelter and start on rebuilding their houses after they were destroyed by the cyclone.rn1) Cyclone-affected people have started receiving help from the panchayats to rebuild their houses. They are being distributed tripols so that they can have a shelter and start on rebuilding their houses after they were destroyed by the cyclone. Panchayats have also organised medicine supplies in some cases. On the other hand, some women were finding it difficult to deal with the losses they’re incurred, even having a tough time in finding to procure wood for cooking food.

2) The dams in Hingalganj, Hasnabad have overflown and it has led to a lot of destruction in that area. Adding to the destruction that was already caused by the cyclone, the roads have been left waterlogged and people are facing a really tough time. In some areas, the dams have been left weakened and so, they stand a greater chance of being destroyed if another storm arrives. Also, the river water has flooded everything and unless the dams are repaired, it isn’t possible for the people either to rebuild their houses or farm. The people are facing fears of having a flood and are also afraid of the fact that if a future storm appears, then the weakened dams will be completely destroyed. Amphan not only caused them destruction, but also has made way for more destruction in the future.

3) One of the biggest areas where corruption and exploitative activites have increased post the cyclone is money lending. Money lenders are making use of this situation of crisis by charging sky-high interest rates to the loans they are giving out to the poor and the needy. Many people, who are suffering from this, say that such lenders wait for an opportunity like this to come and since they know that some poor people will be compelled to take loans from them to deal with the crisis, they do it intentionally, just to make more money out of this difficult situation. Interest rates as high as 5-8% are being charged by these people. Many, in this regard, are struggling to repay just the interest money, let alone the principal amount that they had loaned.

4) Another shocking revelation has come forward in the form of women, being subjected to sexual violence in such times when they are taking resort in the houses of other people. Even women within one family aren’t being spared by their near and dear ones. To make matters worse, the police aren’t willing to file the FIRs for cases of rape. They turned down a woman in Basanti, who had gone to report her rape, saying that the courts are closed and they would take FIRs after the lockdown is lifted. They are suggesting it to be solved outside the court.

5) Sanjog understands the importance of protecting the CBOs in such testing times. They too belong to the community and have suffered a lot in the cyclone, with many social workers losing their shelters. And it is important that these CBOs are supported and helped in strengthening their backbones in these difficult times.

6) Cases of irregular profiteering is one of the issues that the people have been reporting about in the period after the cyclone. In one such issue, people are being charged Rs 30-70 for having their mobiles charged. And it’s just one of the many issues that have cropped up in the aftermath of Amphan. Watch our video on this