The early heat wave in March 2000 precipitated the onset of the first drought of this century in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. The drought conditions vary from moderate to severe. The UN system in India is conducting rapid assessments and developing action plans in consultation with the concerned state governments. UNICEF's situation reports indicate that more than 15 per cent of the country's population is at risk, with an estimated 130 million people in more than 70,000 villages and 230 urban centres being affected by the drought. Apart from economic loss due to low production, loss of livestock, inadequate nutrition and primary health care, the total impact is likely to result in retarding the development process. Several urgent measures have been initiated in affected states.

Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, at the invitation of the state government, a UN system team comprising members from the different UN agencies, met with chief secretary Inderjit Khanna and other secretaries on 26 April 2000. Following those discussions, the UN system decided to establish a drought coordinating unit operating from the UNFPA office in Jaipur to coordinate the expansion and acceleration of on-going programmes with the government of Rajasthan. UNDP has agreed to provide funding support to establish the coordinating unit in Jaipur.

The UN agencies and the concerned departments of the government of Rajasthan would jointly coordinate to follow up actions such as use of GIS data for modulating health related programmes; surveillance of communicable diseases, and heatwave mitigation measures; hydrological survey maps to identify groundwater resources; promotion of water harvesting/ watershed management as the preferred means to achieve water sufficiency, and assessment of seed requirement for the next planning season.

Under the GOI-UNDP community-based pro-poor initiatives, UNDP has two sub-programmes in the drought affected districts of Jodhpur and Alwar in Rajasthan, focussing on providing support and technical assistance to renovate village ponds, building underground rainwater collection tanks and regenerating traditional water harvesting structures. Funds have been released to the implementing agency and work on the project has already started. The coordinating unit proposed to be set up in Jaipur will oversee the stepped-up implementation of these programmes in Rajasthan.

UNICEF has unveiled its drought mitigation strategy spread over three phases in the drought-affected state. The first phase comprises taking immediate measures for restoring water supply facilities; support for environmental sanitation and personal hygiene, and sustaining and improving primary health care facilities and preventing dehydration.

The second phase involves providing support for improving household water security and sustaining community drinking water sources through rain water harvesting and rain water rooftop collection.

The last phase is about taking long-term measures for monitoring and drought proofing. It will include water harvesting structures through intensification of check dam construction with community participation to recharge depleted aquifers.

Responding to the drought in Rajasthan, the World Food Programme (WFP) has offered Rs 1.1 crore worth of food supplies. WFP is ready to release 1,500 metric tonnes of food grains for food-for-work schemes in Dungarpur, Sirohi, Rajasmand and Banswara districts in response to the drought. This will be in addition to the regular WFP activities in Rajasthan. The food for work activities will be implemented through the forest department in coordination with the district administration.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is sending a fact-finding mission to evaluate the damage inflicted by the drought on agriculture and livestock in the most affected areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The mission report will also include a project proposal for immediate relief and short-term rehabilitation of the livestock and crop production.

The World-Health Organization (WHO) is currently working in Rajasthan in the areas of polio surveillance DOTS supervision for the TB programme. Following discussions with the state authorities, WHO has offered to technically assist in the setting up of a functioning disease surveillance system in the state and in training of personnel. WHO, together with UNICEF, is also willing to conduct some training for medical officers in the districts for prevention and management of dehydration and heat stroke.

Gujarat
In Gujarat, as an immediate measure, UNICEF has developed a $ 1.6 million plan of action in consultation with the state government. UNICEF support to the health sector includes Vitamin A solution, ORS packets, chlorine tablets and IFA tables. The Gujarat government has invited UNICEF to lead a water and environmental sanitation team to advise on long term strategies for drought mitigation. An international team including prominent Indians put together by UNICEF will be visiting Gujarat soon to assess the situation.

Andhra Pradesh
UNICEF is in discussion with the state government and is likely to extend support to the augmentation of water sources through rainwater harvesting structures, supply of hand pumps and water quality monitoring for water tankers.

-- (Source: United Nations Information Centre)