Class 9th Eng. Ch-6Weathering the Storm in ErsamaSummary Questions and answers (Supplimentary) Q/A Theme, Message NCERT/CBSE Based

Chapter-6

Weathering the Storm in Ersama

-Harsh Mander

Introduction of the Author

Harsh Mander, born in Shillong, is a writer and social worker. He has the first hand experience of plights of dalit and tribal as he has served as an IAS officer in tribal districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He works for the upliftment of survivors of violence, homeless people and street children. He is associated with multiple social causes and movements, such as communal harmony, the right to information, homeless people, custodial justice and bonded labour. He writes regularly on issues of social justice. His books include: Unheard Voices: Stories of Forgotten Lives; Fear and Forgiveness: The Aftermath of Massacre and The Ripped Chest: Public Policy and Poor in India. He was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award and the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award.

Summary of the Chapter

This is an inspirational story of a young man named, Prashant, who not only struggled hard to save his people from the storm but also organised volunteer groups to help the victims.

Prashant's Visit to Ersama and the Storm

Prashant went to his friend's house in Ersama on 27th October, 1999. It was seven years after his mother's death when he had come out to enjoy a bit. Unfortunately, there arrived a super cyclone with the speed of 350 km per hour in the evening. Soon there was heavy and continuous rain for hours. The water entered his friend's house. Everything was destroyed in the house. Prashant and his friend's family took refuge on the roof. He was greatly shocked to see a brown sheet of water cover everything as far as the eye could see. Houses were broken. Trees were uprooted. Dead animals and human bodies floated everywhere. Two coconut trees had fallen on the house of Prashant's friend which helped them survive for several days by eating the coconuts.

Prashant Goes Back to Village

For two days, Prashant remained on the rooftop with his friend's family. They were nearly frozen in the cold wind. But soon Prashant became worried about his family. When the water began to recede, he at once decided to go to his family. His friend's family advised him to stay back fearing the hardship of journey. But he remained adamant. So he got a strong stick and started his eighteen-kilometer journey to his village. The flood waters were swollen by then. But he waded through the water. On the way, he came across two of his uncle's friends. They were also returning home. They saw many floating dead bodies of human beings and animals. They had to push them away to move ahead. Almost all the houses had got washed away in the villages that they passed. Prashant started weeping thinking about his family members. After facing many hardships, emotionally and physically, he finally reached his village, Kalikuda. He could see only the roof of his house. The remaining house had submerged. So, he went to the Red Cross shelter to look for his family there. He met his maternal grandmother there who met him with tears in her eyes. Soon, the rest of his family members arrived there. They were pleasantly surprised to see him alive. They had thought Prashant to be dead.

Prashant Becomes Leader of the Survivors

Prashant decided to evaluate the damage to people and property. He also thought of the coming dangers and problems for the survivors. All the houses in the village had been washed away. Prashant organised a group of youths of his village. To handle the problem of food, the group pressurized the merchant to give them some rice. They made a fire and cooked the rice. Although the rice was already rotting, it was the only food available to satisfy their hunger. On the fifth day, a military helicopter dropped food. But it didn't return. The group deputed the children to lie there with empty utensils on their stomachs. It was a signal to the passing helicopters that they were hungry. Finally, they got food through airdropping. His next step was to clean the place of filth, urine and floating dead bodies.

Prashant became a savior for his own people. He made a shelter for the orphaned children and asked the women to look after them. But he soon found that women and children were sinking deeper in their grief. He made them join the food-for-work programme started by an NGO. He involved other volunteers to help widows to start their lives afresh. He also believed that orphans should be resettled in their own community. They encouraged new foster families made up of windows and orphaned children in their community.

Even after months passed, the widows and the orphaned children of the village thought of only Prashant in times of trouble. This story tells us the importance of the youth of the society. They can get together and work for the community. During the natural calamities they can help, guide and save the community.

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