Catalog

Earthquake Rehabilitation : Rebuilding Shattered Lives

A $500 million emergency loan is being used to reconstruct hundreds of thousands of homes and much of Gujarat’s infrastructure—all up to standards and in record time

By Omana Nair (onair@adb.org)
External Relations Officer

A young priest stands in the ruins of what was once a place of worship for the people of Bhachau, a town in Gujarat, India. Pointing to a pile of rubble where a temple and his house formerly stood, he recalls the trauma of losing his loved ones. Beneath the cold stones, his 9-year-old son perished along with 30 members of his community on India’s 51st Republic Day—a day that will long be remembered as one of Gujarat’s darkest.

On 26 January 2001, a massive earthquake caused buildings and houses across the state to keel over like children’s building blocks before crumbling into masses of concrete, stone blocks, and tangled iron. Some two million people lost their homes, and thousands died in the worst earthquake to hit India in the last 100 years.

Nine months after facing this fury of nature, people like Bharatpuri Goswami, who lost their homes and loved ones, have come to terms with reality—and are slowly rebuilding their lives. “In just one day, our entire lives became shambles,” says Mr. Goswami. His town, Bhachau, was totally destroyed and is still in ruins. His family has since lived in a makeshift tent.

“I thought the earth had cracked open and was about to swallow me. It was the most horrifying experience of my life,” says another resident, Bharatsi Tapuba. Like hundreds of others in this town where 8,000 are believed to have been killed, Mr. Tapuba is looking forward to rebuilding his house on the same spot. “Where else can we go? We have been living here for generations.”

Rebuilding Homes—and Lives

Each story of loss has its own poignancy. The extent of damage and the trauma experienced by the residents has led to efforts by the central and state governments and various local and international organizations to reach out to the people of Gujarat to help rebuild their lives.

Bhachau—one of the worst-affected towns in the Kutch district—and several other towns are receiving government assistance through emergency financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for reconstructing urban infrastructure. A new town plan is being drafted through a consultative process.

“The people prefer to build their houses on the same spot. They have also decided where the public amenities, commercial areas, and religious buildings will be located,” says P. Joyonika, Bhachau’s town-planning consultant.

Rita Teaotia, Managing Director of Gujarat Urban Development Co. Ltd., agrees that one of the main challenges in the rebuilding process is keeping the town’s old characteristics, particularly historical sites.

ADB approved a $500 million emergency loan for Gujarat in March 2001, two months after the quake struck. The loan is supporting the state government’s efforts to reconstruct and restore essential infrastructure, especially in the districts of Kutch, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, and Rajkot. About 40 percent of the loan is for housing needs, and the balance for rebuilding urban and rural infrastructure, restoring power supply, and assisting with livelihood rehabilitation. To facilitate the works financed by the loan, ADB established an Extended Mission in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, to ensure timely and speedy project implementation.

“The earthquake has had a multidimensional impact on the lives of Gujarat’s people, in particular for those in the rural areas already faced with extreme difficulties due to the long-term drought,” says Frank Polman, ADB’s Resident Representative, India Resident Mission. “The extended office will focus on early restoration of economic and social activities in the affected areas.”

Remote Villages Receiving Help

INTERIM HOUSING. An estimated 200,000 people are still living in basic temporary shelters

Kutch District suffered the most damage, with more than 90 percent of all quake-related deaths occurring there. Some 500,000 houses were reported damaged, and 5,000 schools flattened. Health centers, water supply systems, sanitation facilities, and other crucial infrastructure were all destroyed. In Bhuj, Rapar, Bhachau, and Anjar—Kutch’s four most affected towns—between 70 and 100 percent of all physical structures were destroyed. “It’s because of this widespread devastation that the Gujarat Government asked ADB to focus its rebuilding efforts in Kutch,” says Alex Jorgensen, ADB Senior Project Implementation Officer.

Close to 500,000 homeowners have received financial aid from the Government to rebuild damaged houses, and many more claims are in the pipeline. Reconstruction of urban infrastructure will begin once the new town plans are approved and the tendering process completed. Other components such as livelihood restoration, disaster preparedness, and management programs are under way.

Numerous nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and local voluntary organizations are assisting the villages in rebuilding. The village of Devgargh is one example. Completely destroyed, it was reduced to piles of crumbled gray stone and rubble. A local NGO, Sewa Bharti, adopted Devgargh. Like many other villages, the main challenge in rebuilding is mobilizing construction materials in their remote locations.

“Where possible, villages’ own capacities and resources are harnessed by employing and training local people, using local materials, supporting local enterprises, and working in partnership with local NGOs,” said Anil Das, ADB Project Implementation Officer, Extended Mission in Gujarat.

Applying a Self-Help Philosophy

The village of Raidenpur, about 11 kilometers (km) from the city of Bhuj, provides another example of how people are reaching out to those in need. Caritas India is actively providing assistance in rebuilding 180 houses.

RISING FROM THE RUBBLE. Close to 500,000 homeowners have received financial aid from the Government to rebuild damaged houses, and many more claims are in the pipeline shelters

“Here we have adopted an owner-driven concept where the villagers themselves—mostly members of tribal groups and laborers—are employed to construct the homes,” says V. Arockiam, Caritas’s Chief Coordinator for Relief and Rehabilitation Program. The village has also reopened schools in makeshift tents to enable children to resume their education. “This would have been unthinkable just a couple of months ago as the entire area was a place of rubble,” says Mr. Arockiam as he supervises the fast-paced construction.

An estimated 200,000 people are still living in basic temporary shelters in many areas in Kutch. In villages like Shukpar, about 7 km from Bhuj, reconstruction has just started. Mohamad Mal, a local resident who lost his home and all his cattle, was at a nearby bus terminal when he felt the earth move beneath his feet.

“I was shocked. I rushed back, and there was no home left,” he recounts. He and his five children continue to live in a section of the damaged house while the rest is being rebuilt. “At least our village will now have better roads,” says Mr. Mal, as he looks to the future.

Quality Materials a Must

RESILIENT RESIDENTS.Community members have bonded together to help one another rebuild their homes—and lives

Kutch District Development Officer Rajeev Tapnoo said the villagers are required to rebuild improved earthquake-resistant houses, using quality materials. “Every step of the construction process is being monitored carefully.”

“We don’t want people to make similar mistakes again. Many people were killed unnecessarily because inferior building materials were used during construction. Because we are giving the people the opportunity to rebuild, we want them to rebuild safe houses, as well as introduce improved earthquake-resistant technology into the construction method,” he adds. Quality testing laboratories, including mobile units, have been established at Morbi, Jamnagar, and Bhuj, and one is in the pipeline for Bhachau. These laboratories will test the quality of building materials for adherence to specified standards.

While the state government should be commended for its efforts, people’s resilience and spirit to rebuild their lives are visible in the affected areas. Death and destruction have brought out the best in the people of Gujarat, as displayed in the strong community affection and efforts to help one another.

In time, homes will be rebuilt, infrastructure reconstructed, and the economy back on track. But the emotional and physical scars of that fateful morning will remain with the survivors.

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