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| DMC House neem tree lost branches |
Victor thinks that need about £4000 to get roofing sheets replaced, cement electricity poles and wires reinstated, uprooted trees cut up for firewood and the cost of labour to do these jobs. The expense of renting generators to provide
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| and climbing plants were damaged |
power to raise water for the children and to work the fans and lights will also be a big expense.To get water from the wells, via submersible pumps, electricity is needed. The water is then pumped in sequence to tanks on the roofs of buildings. When there is power it is used to fill large batteries called inverters which dispense electricity to a limited number of fans and lights. All of our
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| DMC girls clear up storm debris |
homes have some inverters. Electricity is also needed to work the water filters that provide clean drinking water for the children and staff.
We have to get the high voltage cables on the poles again so that we can use the Shanti Nivas generator to give us electricity. The other homes have hired kerosene based generators to give a small amount of power to the inverters.
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Rajeshwari and girls survey
the debris that was flying around. |
The local government hospitals are without power as states switchgear, transformers and the electrical supply infrastructure was damaged by the cyclone. The airport is expected to resume limited flights on 18th September. Trains have lost and damaged track.
There is no such thing as buildings and contents insurance at Brighter Future. I am not sure that it even exists in India!
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| At Shanti Nivas Victor and Rainbow boys lend a hand |
I have read that petrol is so short that it is being rationed to a litre per customer - alright for those with motorbikes or autos but a blow to owners of cars and jeeps (called four-wheelers in India) like Brighter Future. Every month the Brighter Future vehicle needsto take food stuffs to the children's homes at Karuna Nivas, Prem Nivas, Shanti Nivas. leprosy colonies and the Hospice, as well as to the HIV/AIDS widows of Srikakulam district.. We also have to collect building materials ourselves if possible, to avoid high transport costs.
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| water pipes and electricity cables need repairing. |
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| staff and children gather wood |
Victor has hired men to cut broken branches and cut up fallen trees that cannot be salvaged. The going rate used to be 250rp a day but with the current demand I expect he is having to pay a lot more. The price of foodstuffs has risen too, because of damage to crops and the difficulty of bringing them to the market. The price of milk is similarly rocketing. I hope the Shanti Nivas hens are laying ! At least we will have lots of firewood for cooking on for the next few months.
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| Victor in the thick of it! |
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| Vegetable stick tree being replanted |
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| localised flooding |
The rail and air communications of the wider area are slowly being restored as is the generation of electricity, especially in Visakhapatnam, The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and the Prime Minister of India are visiting the area and promising funds.
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| Bathroom and toilet block lost doors and roof sheets |
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| dining room roof damaged |
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| Tree cutters finish for the day |
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| Generator roof needs repair |
