Appeal

India

Floods - Assam, Bihar, Orissa, W Bengal & Uttar Pradesh ASIN72 (Revision 2)

Appeal Target: US$ 2,118,083

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: US$ 1,096,185

Geneva, 24 October 2007

Over 1,200 people have lost their lives in the recent floods in India and more than 20 million people have been affected by flooding in the states of Assam, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and take shelter in temporary camps and on higher ground. The first floods occurred in many parts of the country during the first week of July 2007 and since then there have been repeated floods of varying severity, especially in Orissa and West Bengal. The families who have been affected by these repeated floods are living in appalling conditions on the embankments, road sides and higher grounds as well as in relief camps. Most of the affected are poor families who are now dependent on assistance from the government or relief organizations and NGOs.

In large areas, especially low lying areas of West Bengal and Orissa, the flood waters remain. Standing crops have been destroyed and there is a large scale loss of personal and public property, displacing families and crippling livelihoods. Safe drinking water is not available in many areas and health, hygiene and sanitation conditions are appalling. People belonging to marginalized sections are the worst off with no resources to fall back on.

The original appeal, issued 7 August, included a proposal from Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA). A first revision was issued 10 August to include the Lutheran World Service India (LWSI) proposal. This second revision of the appeal contains a revised program for Lutheran World Service India (LWSI). The CASA program remains unchanged.

For this appeal LWSI is working in three states - Orissa - Balasore District (relief and rehabilitation); West Bengal - West Midnapore district (relief and rehabilitation) and, in this second revision, in East Champaran District of Bihar (relief assistance).

The implementation period for LWSI, originally planned for six months from July 2007 will be extended by a further six months to the end of July 2008 to also include rehabilitation activities.

The relief assistance comprises dry food rations; clothing and sleeping materials; water purification and sanitation materials; temporary shelter. Rehabilitation interventions include construction and/or repair of community infrastructure through Food for Work projects; material assistance for construction and/or renovation of flood damaged houses; provision of seeds for farmers to replant crops; community-based disaster preparedness awareness-raising and construction of flood shelters.

Project Completion Date:

CASA - 30 November 2007

LWSI - 31 July 2008

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FOR THE FULL TEXT AND BUDGETS OF THE APPEAL (PDF FILE), KINDLY VISIT THE ACT SITE. THANK YOU. _______________________________________________________________________________

Please kindly send your contributions to either of the following ACT bank accounts:

US dollar

Account Number - 240-432629.60A

IBAN No: CH46 0024 0240 4326 2960A

Euro

Euro Bank Account Number - 240-432629.50Z

IBAN No: CH84 0024 0240 4326 2950Z

Account Name: ACT - Action by Churches Together

UBS AG

8, rue du Rhône

P.O. Box 2600

1211 Geneva 4, SWITZERLAND

Swift address: UBSW CHZH12A

Please also inform the Finance Officer Jessie Kgoroeadira (jkg@act-intl.org) and the Programme Officer Michelle Yonetani (myo@act-intl.org) of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers, now that the Pledge Form is no longer attached to the Appeal.

We would appreciate being informed of any intent to submit applications for EU, USAID and/or other back donor funding and the subsequent results. We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.