For those looking to contribute towards relief and rehabilitation efforts to families affected by the floods, please find below three organisations that have been working on providing relief to the victims. These organisations have over the years been working tirelessly on issues of sustainable and community-led management of natural resources in Uttarakhand.
Matu Peoples’ Organisation was formed to raise issues important to the Tehri Dam affected people. It was formed as a group in November 2001 with the support of Tehri Dam affected villagers. Matu is working for the communities’ rights over natural resources and livelihood, environment issues, campaigning, lobbying and advocating for the rights of communities who are being displaced due to development projects such as large dams in Uttarakhand. The facilitator of Matu is Vimal bhai, one of the National Convenors of National Alliance of Peoples’ Movements. For more details of their work: matuganga.blogspot.in
Vimal bhai on NDTV’s prime time show on the Uttarakhand disaster, aired on 24th June: http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/prime-time/video-story/280560
People’s Science Institute is known in India’s voluntary sector for its pioneering work in the fields of community-led watershed-based livelihoods development, environmental quality monitoring, disaster-safe housing and dissemination of appropriate technologies. Its activities are spread all over India with a focus on the central-western Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the poverty-ridden districts of western Orissa. Its operational headquarters is located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. More information here: peoplesscienceinstitute.org
PSI Director, Ravi Chopra’s editorial on the Uttarakhand disaster in The Hindu today: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-untold-story-from-uttarakhand/article4847166.ece
Maati Sangathan is a women’s collective formed in November 2000, based in Munsiyari, Pithoragarh District in Uttarakhand. Maati works on issues related to everyday lives and struggles of mountain women including food security through subsistence and organic farming and seed sovereignty, domestic violence, livelihood support and environmentally sustainable development through Van Panchayats and self-governance of natural resources. Maati also created groups like Mahila Mangal Dal to link as many women as possible to larger platforms for support. It often works under the banner of larger groups such as Uttarakhand Mahila Manch, Van Panchayat Sangathan, etc. and networks closely with Nadi Bachao Abhiyan and Kisan Mahasabha. For more information: http://www.sruti.org.in/?q=fellow/rekha-and-basanti
Maati is currently carrying out relief efforts in the areas affected by landslides in the Gori Ghati area in Pithoragarh district. They are also carrying out a survey of the overall damage to help in providing long-term support to families.