Geneva, 31 October 2007
CASA Target within ASRE51: US$26,663,778
Balance Requested: 0 US$
Herewith we share with you fourth and final revision of CASA, India's programme within the regional ACT International ASRE51 Tsunami appeal. The total amount requested for CASA has decreased from $34,221,291 US (Revision 3) to $26,663,778 US (a reduction of $7,557,513 US).
The revision has been made because of the partial but substantial disengagement of CASA from the Andaman and Nicobar islands. CASA has played a significant role in projecting the aspirations and desires of the local Tribal Council to the local and national governments. Unfortunately, lengthy negotiations with the government for approval of the structural design of houses and other infrastructure in the Car Nicobar island, developed by CASA in close consultation with the local Tribal Council of the island, failed. Therefore, CASA felt forced to withdraw completely from the housing and certain other infrastructure construction components of the planned programme in Car Nicobar. Key changes are as follows:
a) House construction cancelled except for 11 prototype houses already constructed in Car Nicobar.
b) Construction of 3 Disaster Shelters in the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands is now reduced to 1.
c) CASA had planned to undertake construction of 8 schools (Primary and middle), including 7 in Car Nicobar, implemented by the Church of North India (CNI). CASA had already undertaken construction of 3 schools with pre-fabricated materials due to communication difficulties in the island. However, the local administration put up a condition to CNI that the remaining schools should be concrete construction (contrary to steel structure housing promoted by the government). Therefore, CASA propose to put up 4 concrete structures instead, which will include 1 Secondary school and 3 Primary schools. Another school is being constructed in the islands in collaboration with the Orthodox Church.
d) CASA are also proposing to undertake construction of 3 community centres at Kamorta Island with the prefabricated materials mobilized earlier for schools. This request was received from the local Tribal Council of Kamorta Island.
Please note, that alongside this revision of CASA's ASRE51 programme, the ACT Coordinating Office will also be issuing a separate tsunami appeal for "housing for Dalits in South India" who have been excluded from post-tsunami assistance. The Coordinating Office will be requesting approval from some ASRE51 funders of CASA for transfer from ASRE51 to this new tsunami-related appeal.