ADEPT's operational area for the South Asia quake of October 2005, covers the districts of Baramulla, Uri, and Kupwara in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Around 44 villages with a population of about 120,000 (including 35,000 children) are included in the operations.
An intensive workshop was conducted with youth from earthquake affected villages in the districts of Baramulla, Uri, and Kuppwara. During the workshop an analysis was done using focus group technique. The participants expressed their individual and community needs verbally as well as through written documents. The outcome of the study is as follows:
The predominant occupations in the region are farming and cattle rearing. The earthquake with the ensuing landslides and rockfalls have destroyed houses and completely disrupted the livelihood of the affected communities. Since all local consumable have to be imported from lower reaches the cost of living has skyrocketed. This is because of poor road access and destruction of winter reserves. Most items including food are almost 30% more expensive than before the earthquake. Even though the army, the Government and NGOs have responded to the need for food, medicines and temporary shelter, the villagers have found it difficult to upload the items from the road-head. Villages close to the access roads have benefited the most from relief materials \. Remote villages and villages far from the access roads were deprived. The disruption of livelihood combined with shortage of commodities for daily living and the escalation of cost of living has done major damage to the local economy. The social outcomes of this are unemployment, escalation in theft, increase in child labor with consequent school drop-outs, and young women seeking to augment livelihood with consequent issues about their chastity.
The Earthquake has destroyed school buildings. Education of children has, therefore, been affected. Most schools were staffed with teachers who used to commute everyday from nearby towns. Fear and destruction of roads has resulted in many teachers not attending the schools. Non availability of teaching staff, teaching materials, buildings, etc, is still a major problem that has been left unaddressed. Neither the government nor any NGO have made significant interventions in this issue. The children are idle or being used for physical labor. This combined with the psychological impact of the quake, has affected many children badly.
Hospitals and public health centers that were serving the villages have also been destroyed. Little has been done to address the health needs of the community. There is a scarcity of doctors, medicines and paramedical staff. The villagers have to climb down to the town s of Uri and Baramulla for medical assistance. Pregnant women, physically disabled and geriatric patients have to be carried on charpoys. Diarrheas occur due to lack of sanitation, impure drinking water, and ignorance.
Even though loss of life was not as high as that in Pakistan, the earthquake has disrupted the structure of many families and the community. This is because of migration of families to "safer" ground combined with missing family members for reasons not clear, and a major change in lifestyle due to the economic problems.
The region has been conflict-ridden for the last 17 years with the villagers having to live in a battlefield between terrorists and the army, and having to deal with the constant insecurity for life, belongings, family, and children. The earthquake and frequent aftershocks (more than 400 since the killer quake) have heaped more stress upon their already stressed lives. They now live with constant fear due to the aftershocks, landslides, rockfalls etc. Any loud sound, or a flash of light can trigger panic.
The majority of the affected communities are Muslims. Being culturally ultra-conservative, and living in a conflict-zone they are extremely wary of strangers and uniforms. The influx of relief workers from various players and the army has resulted in a state of paranoia. This has made it difficult for them to share their problems with relief workers. The situation is complicated by rumors of religious conversion by NGOs.
The predominant psychological effects are, therefore, fear, anxiety, panic, paranoia, sleeplessness, agitation, and depression.