Raksha

Objectives

• Preparation – Enhancing preparedness, Creating awareness on disasters and improving understanding of disaster hazards and vulnerabilities.
• Response – Rising to the occasion, Providing Relief , Acquiring necessary skills for disaster management
• Recovery – Reconstruction, Enhancing effective responses to promote recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction
• Mitigation – Reducing risks and impact, Capacity Building initiatives, Equipping the institution with necessary material support systems to face disasters effectively in future.

Context: Kerala witnessed severe floods in 2018 and 2019 and landslides (2018), which caused massive damage to lives and property. The first report of the deadly Nipah pandemic in India, at Kozhikode shook the district, adding to it, came the Covid 19 pandemic. A lot of people, including our staff and students were directly affected by the floods and the pandemics. Rising to the occasion the college organized disaster mitigation activities in Kozhikode, additionally reaching out to help flood victims in Assam in 2019 and Kuttanad in 2019. The college was the first source of rescue and shelter for those in its vicinity. The college buildings were immediately converted to Relief camps, with medical, and housing support for affected.

Practice: The institution transformed into CFLTC-Covid First Line Treatment Centres, admitting covid positive patients in strict accordance to the rules of Kerala Govt. Health Dept. that took over the hostel and associated buildings. The staff and students assisted the bystanders and health personnel. Faculty served as Sectoral Magistrates. Students were part of Rapid Rescue team and ‘Sannadhasena’ – Army. Masks stitched by students/staff, sanitizers manufactured at the Chemistry lab, Mobile phones as study aids, were distributed to the needy. Members also underwent online courses offered by the World Health Organization, to enhance Covid preparedness. The doctors and nurses who risked their lives to contain the spread of Nipah virus, were felicitated in the college as part of the Nipah epidemic awareness program. The staff and students visited the victims of Kattipara landslides, and offered them support, victims of the Kuttanad and Assam floods were sent relief materials through the Dist Tourism Promotion Council and NGO respectively. The college functioned as the Flood Relief camp sheltering hundreds of people who lost their houses and property during the floods. Periodic Fire & Safety mock drills are practised.

Evidence of Success

Nipah and Covid Awareness programs prepared students and staff to rise to the occasion during the pandemic, maintain hygiene and well-being, and support the community in need. Training received in packing flood relief materials, in trauma care and working as Rapid Rescue Team members, equipped students with necessary skills for disaster management. Twelve houses, destroyed by floods, were renovated (out of the Rs.886835/- collected as donation) and a new house was constructed for Ms. Prema Chavakkamannil at Kannadikkal, Kozhikode. Covid vaccination drive conducted at college provided second and booster doses to hundreds of staff and students. Rs.50000 was donated towards Kozhikode Corporation’s Oxygen Challenge which ensured the availability of oxygen concentrators at treatment centres.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

• Lack of public transportation facilities.
• Students/staff unable to lend helping hands due to fear of exposure to pandemic, parental controls and areas being declared containment zones all of a sudden.
• Lack of proper funds from Non-Govt. agencies, especially during 2019 floods.
• Money, man power, infrastructure, vehicles required in more numbers.
• Anti-vaccination propaganda came in the way of more people receiving vaccination.