For a period of 45 days, starting from 12 November, BAPS operated a relief kitchen in Chakulia, feeding hot meals to over 600 homeless people daily and providing food pockets to countless more in neighbouring villages.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

BAPS sent a special medical team consisting of qualified doctors to a total of 32 villages in the Erasama and Kujanga Blocks of Jagatsinghpur. 47 medical camps were organised in which 3,507 patients suffering from acute diarrhoea, vomiting, gastric problems, foot fungus were treated.

A total of Rs.360,000/- worth of medicines were distributed by BAPS.

BAPS also treated 30 flooded villages with disinfectant powder to prevent an outbreak of diseases.

CREMATIONS, BURIALS & YAGNAS

There was one horrifying sight and smell that greeted anyone who walked into Erasama. The entire place was scattered with either dead people or dead carcasses. Village folk were too superstitious to touch the dead they did not know. And so, a BAPS team consisting of volunteers undertook the task of cremating and burying. A total of 700 cremations for people were performed with full vedic rites and over 3,500 cattle carcasses were buried.

On Monday, 6 December and Sunday 12 December 1999, two special ‘Pitru Tarpan Yag' were held in the villages of Chakulia (Erasama) and Gabhadi (Tirtol) of Jagatsinghpur, Orissa. The purpose of the Vedic Yagna was to offer special prayers for those who had died in the devastating cyclone, a special request by the villagers. Over 6,000 people had participated in the yagnas.

HOUSEHOLD MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED

These village people had lost everything in the cyclone. Their entire homes were completely blown away or washed away. Here there are no such things as insurance claims. Relief from others is the only way for survival. BAPS provided household materials that would help these victims piece their lives together once again.

A total of 67,305 new articles of clothes were distributed.

BAPS organised and managed total relief distribution of materials sent by Sant Baba Man Singhji of Pehowa Wala (Haryana) and K. Vora & Co. in 260 villages, helping 159,850 individuals.

COUNSELLING AND UPLIFTING

Physical aid can relieve pain to a certain extent. Beyond that, psychological, emotional and spiritual counselling helps a victim overcome a variety of traumas. BAPS volunteers have understood the importance of this intangible, yet indispensable, form of support and have actively counselled thousands of victims in the aftermath of the cyclone. Many recovered from the mental shock of the disaster and are now living normal lives.

BAPS also distributed 520 toys, games, puzzles and full cricket kits to orphans and poor children to help them overcome psychological traumas caused by the cyclone.

RECONSTRUCTION & REHABILITATION

In the aftermath of the supercyclone, The Government of Orissa approached BAPS to adopt completely devastated villages for reconstruction. In January 2000, BAPS adopted 3 villages: Chakulia, Banipat and Potak in the Erasama Block (District: Jagatsinghpur).

A total of 200 cyclone-resistance concrete houses for 200 homeless families would be constructed together with 2 schools, 2 village tube-wells and also to cater for their agricultural, educational, ecological, and spiritual needs.

Houses

•  On 10 February 2000, the foundation stone laying ceremony for the first of 200 houses to be built was performed in Chakulia.

•  14 months later, BAPS completed construction of a total of 141 cyclone-resistance houses, measuring 21 x 12 feet with kitchen, in Chakulia (69) and Banipat (72). The unique structural design and foundation would resist future cyclones of similar magnitude.

•  On 10 June 2001, the inauguration ceremony for both Chakulia and Banipat was performed in the holy presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj together with The King of Jagannathpuri: Sri Gajapati Maharaj Divyasingh Dev, Sri Naveen Patnaik (Chief Minister of Orissa), Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan (Minister of Revenue), Sri Surendra Nath Naik (Minister of Panchayat Raj), Dr. Damodar Rout (MLA).

•  The foundation-stone laying ceremony for the third village: Potak, was performed on 29 October 2001 and construction began in January 2002. On 10 May 2002, Potak was completed with 59 cyclone-resistance houses and other amenities. Chief Minister of Orissa: Sri Naveen Patnaik along with MLA of Erasama: Dr. Damodar Rout and other dignitaries inaugurated the reconstructed village of Potak.

A total of 200 cyclone resistance houses in 3 villages: Chakulia, Banipat and Potak were completed and handed over to the people by May 2002 with the following amenities:

Water

BAPS installed 2 tube-wells 600 feet deep in Chakulia and Banipat to provide pure drinking water.

Education

The nearest good school for children living in this Block was 18 kilometres away in Paradeep Port. BAPS constructed 2 schools: one Upper Primary School and one Higher Secondary School in Chakulia that caters for children living in 7 neighbouring villages. Both schools were inaugurated on 10 June 2001 by the Chief Minister of Orissa: Sri Naveen Patnaik in the holy presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the King of Jagannathpuri: Sri Gajapati Maharaj Divyasingh Dev.

•  BAPS manages the Higher Secondary School that caters for students from class VIII to class X.

•  The Upper Primary School is built by BAPS but managed by the Government of Orissa.

•  BAPS also provided 2,917 students in other villages with Orissa's TBW Examination Guides, notebooks and pens to sit boards examination in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Agricultural

To save farming families from poverty and to help them rebuild their livelihoods, BAPS provided help to farmers in the following manner:

•  One tractor with ploughing blades and trailer;

•  Two power tiller tractors with ploughing blades and trailer;

•  4 water pumps to help farmers irrigate their land;

•  4,500 kg. of special rice seeds for sowing;

•  3,000 acres of land were ploughed twice by BAPS to help farmers remove saline and cultivate their lands for sowing.

Environmental

T o compensate for trees lost during the cyclone, BAPS planted 5,700 mango, coconut, neem, lemon, jackfruit, jambu, potas, guava and tulsi trees in 5 villages.

Spiritual

By special request of the people of Chakulia and Banipat, BAPS constructed a mandir “Shree Swaminarayan Mandir” between the villages that has become a hub for spiritual and social activities.

Infrastructure

BAPS engineers ensured that both villages had adequate roads and ample spacing. A 2 kilometre stretch of pucca road was constructed by BAPS that connected Chakulia and Banipat with the main Erasama Road. The Government of Orissa inaugurated the road as “Swaminarayan Marg” .

OPINIONS ON BAPS RELIEF & REHABILITATION WORK IN ORISSA

“Your organisation is massive. Every volunteer in dedicated, disciplined and devoted to the cause. Every volunteer is educated. Some are doctors and engineers. If it wasn't for your organisation, we would not have been able to distributed our relief materials here.”

Sant Baba Man Singhji, (Pehowa Wala – Haryana)

“Many have come here with relief and some have also helped with rehabilitation. BAPS has also done that but also something greater. Through its swamis it has instilled moral and the character building values in our lives. This is something extraordinary that will go on and build a better society.”

Shree Gajapati Maharaj Divyasingh Dev (King of Jaganathpuri)

“I am extremely delighted to know how well BAPS has served Orissa during the cyclone disaster. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is doing praiseworthy work in a variety of fields that help our society morally, culturally, medically, educationally and socially. Although the Sanstha is based in Gujarat, it has come this far to help us rebuild our lives by rebuilding our homes and livelihood. I take this moment to thank Pramukh Swami Maharaj and his organisation for all that they have done.”

Naveen Patniak (Chief Minister, Orissa)

“I have seen the work done after the cyclone in many areas by many different organisations, but I have not seen such perfection anywhere which I see here today.”

Biswabhusan Harichandan (Hon. Minister of Revenue)

“BAPS has shown how one should serve people in need. The selfless service that the volunteers have performed in the super-cyclone areas of Orissa like Astarang Block, Erasama Block and others are beyond words. BAPS has served with a caring heart and we can all learn from this.”

Surendra Nath Naik (Hon. Minister, Panchayati Raj, Orissa)

“The Government of Orissa acknowledges your timely help in providing relief aid to the people of the cyclone affected Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts of Orissa. Moreover, your rehabilitation work in Chakulia, Banipat and Potak are praise-worthy and an ideal model for all NGOs.”

Aurobindo Behara - IAS , (M.D. Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority)

“BAPS was the first organisation to bring relief in this area. Not only this, but the Swamijis stayed behind to gift us with pucca homes and schools for which we are extremely grateful.”

Damodar Rout (MLA - Erasama)

“We can not rule out the fact that your organisation was one of the very first to reach the most devastated area in Orissa. Your organising capabilities and heart to serve people of every caste, creed and community in the most remote parts of Jagatsinghpur are praiseworthy.”

Navin Chandra Das, (The then Hon. Minister of Commerce, Orissa)

“If you want to know how one should serve mankind, then go an see the Swaminarayan sadhus serving in Chakulia.”

S. Mohanty, (District Collector of Jagatsinghpur – 2000, Orissa)

“We gratefully acknowledge your timely help in providing relief and succour to the people of the cyclone affected districts of Orissa. Your service has helped the people to over come their trauma and grief.”

L. Kindo , (Relief Commissioner Incharge, Cuttack, Orissa.)