PROJECT PUNARJIBAN

Healing Touch for restoring Lives and Livelihoods of the Victims of India’s Biggest Ever Train Accident in Balasore district, Odisha on 2nd June 2023

THE BACKGROUND

An unprecedented, never before train accident at Bahanaga on 2nd June 2023 evening is believed to be the worst manmade disaster in India that left thousands of victims shocked, dead and in extreme depression as they fail to come to the terms. There is outright denial of the total number of official deaths by locals, eye witness and even the hospital staff of various hospitals. The situation is very pathetic which is beyond imagination. As we are still in shock as we visited the site again on 7th June, 2023, five days after the unfateful, cruel night that left thousands awestruck, We could see the far reaching impact of this accident which needs sincere, long term efforts of the Civil Society Organisations in a sustained manner.

PROJECT PUNARJIBAN

Yuva Vikas was one of the first organisations to reach the site with the field volunteers to support rescue, transfer of injured to various hospital and spending time with the extremely injured and mentally shocked passengers.

We have taken up this initiative “PROJECT PUNARJIBAN” to be with the direct and indirect victims, the families of the victim, the survivors, and the local community that was witness to this horrendous accident.

OUR EFFORTS SO FAR

YVF being one of first responders to this catastrophe as the train accident site happens to be close by, we have tried every possible ways to reach out to the victim during emergency search and rescue, treatment and referral of the injured. In a record time of within 48 hours, we could speak to 1985+ passengers of both the trains who were impacted directly or indirectly with the support from counselors from TISS and NIMHANs.

In addition, we contacted most of the social media posting individuals to collect information that can help us in future for the tracking of data, support service to reach out to the families of the victims. The shock is intense, deep and longstanding with violent, disturbing deaths are haunting the survivors, their families and the rescuers that can adversely impact their lives and livelihoods.

With your support as a solidarity community, we can do more as the impact is going to long term and the one still under treatment need care and attention.

THE NEED

The shock that impacted more than 2000 passengers and their family members, the impact is huge and long term in terms of the emotional, social and livelihood restoration. We have spoken to few of them intensely to understand the probable implications. We identified the following action points for the effective rehabilitation measures that aim at reducing the vulnerabilities and distress.

  • Further treatment of the injured, physiotherapy needs rehabilitation and trauma counseling.
  • Immediate and smooth hand over of the compensation to the family of the deceased and their families.
  • Livelihood restoration for the deceased and the differently able because of the train accident.

WHAT WE INTEND TO DO

  1. Networking with treating hospitals and other departments handling injured and deceased to fill the gaps in the documentation of basic details of the survivors at-least a phone number
  2. Support survivors with information and other forms of support to navigate the process of claiming ex-gratia and compensation
  3. Networking with concerned departments and offices across states handling the survivors, especially the railway tribunal, to facilitate provision of basic services to all involved, and avoids disparity across states.
  4. Reaching out to each survivor across different states to ascertain immediate and long-term recovery support needs (including psychosocial and mental health needs).
  5. Provision of basic support services by extending existing welfare and social protection schemes offered by state and non-state actors
  6. Advocacy for special services to meet the unique needs of the survivors
  7. Establishing one or more offices preferably within the state institutions (Special Relief Commissioner’s Office, Railway Regional Office) to handhold survivors needing support with documentation and processes of claiming rightful support, including legal support for addressing disputes.

ACTIVITIES PLANNED

  • In person visit to the families of deceased, injured, disabled and traumatised in their respective villages in the abovementioned states.
  • Detailed mapping of rehabilitation measures keeping in view the family/ social/emotional aspects of the victim.
  • Immediate engagement in livelihood activities soon after the mapping to bring them out of the vulnerabilities and to reduce the exposure to stress and depression.
  • Engagement with the communities to build support system for the family over a period of one year.
  • Support service to augment their social security benefits / claims from various sources.
  • Long term livelihood restoration for the family to reduce the vulnerabilities in a phased manner.

To support this initiative please contact us on following:           Mobile No.: +91 94379 36315      Email: info.yuvavikas@gmail.com