STH -2009 ANNUAL PROGRAM

• I realize we are late, but better late than never. Also what is placed below (our Action Plan for 2009) is at best an indication of our intended Plan of Action (POA) for the 2009. As the months melt into one another so will our plans but I am confident at the end of the year we will have accomplished much of what is planned.

• As the STH Treasurer, Mr AK Pradhan has continuously cautioned me much our POA will depend on the fund position and having formed only recently STH does have a severe budgetary limitations. However, I do believe with a little help from our friends here and abroad the aims set forth below are reachable.

• Finally, despite the much hyped about "paradigm shift in Disaster Management from a relief centric response to a one based on PREVENTION and PREPAREDNESS", factually nothing has changed at the grassroot level and it is still based on a post-disaster response to an event - ie waiting for a disaster to occur and then reacting to it.
  This must change.
  Therefore as an NGO, our role will largely be about changing this mindset and acting as a pressure group to have PREVENTIVE and MITIGATION work initiated against a hazard which has afflicted us relentlessly. That, and to spread awareness about the largely anthropogenic causes landslides...
  
  which is what the STH Annual Program (2009) is about.
  

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ANNUAL PROGRAM OF SaveTheHills (STH) -2009

JANUARY
a) Prepare the STH annual program (Completed)
b) Prepare to participate in National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) /Army awareness workshop at army cantonment in Kalimpong in Feb2009. Role also includes liaison between the army authorities and public of Kalimpong. (Completed)

FEBRUARY
a) Participate in the NDMA / 33Corps Workshop on “Medical Aspects of Disaster Management” on 05Feb2009. (Completed - see earlier blog for report and photos of the Workshop)
b) Translate and arrange to print publicity pamphlets in Nepali (with the help/resources of NDRF)
c) Membership drive amongst individuals as well as institutions and NGOs.

MARCH
a) Arrange for Landslide Hazard Awareness Workshops with Schools / Colleges / Social Clubs/ Rural areas inclusive of Cinchona and Tea plantations. This will be an ongoing program through the year.
b) Arrange a meeting with all Social Organizations of Kalimpong to chart out a community response to the problems of oncoming monsoons (such as drain cleaning)
c) Set up Landslide Alerting Posts all over the district with the help of NGOs and SHGs and check on means of communication for reporting landslides.

APRIL
a) Work on a video on landslide hazards as well as STH activities. This will involve filming at landslide zones, interviews with affected persons etc and will be an ongoing project.
b) Rotary Club of Kalimpong Power Point presentation competition on “SaveTheHills” and Landslide Hazards in the Darjeeling/Sikkim Himalayas.

MAY
a) Execute community response planned in March (para b)
b) Sit and draw competition on ENVIRONMENT taking students of all the schools (age group between 10 to 15 )

JUNE
a) 05JUN WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY celebration ( Organize a rally, street play and program in the Community Town Hall)
b) Keep a track of and report on landslides all over the district/ Sikkim
c) Visit landslide zones where possible, assess loss/cause.

JULY
a) Seven day tree plantation program in concert with the Forest Dept taking students to different landslide area of Kalimpong
b) Keep a track of and report on landslides all over the district/ Sikkim
c) Visit landslide zones where possible assess loss/cause.

AUGUST
a) Keep a track of and report on landslides all over the district/ Sikkim
b) Visit landslide zones where possible assess loss/cause.

SEPTEMBER

a) Survey, classify and update data of landslides in all the affected areas of the District (and Sikkim if possible)
b) STH Foundation Day Celebration (inviting guests from Darjeeling ,Sikkim , Siliguri , Kurseong )

OCTOBER
a) Continue the awareness programs
b) Photo Exhibition on “Landslide Hazards in Darjeeling /Sikkim Himalayas” at Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok.

NOVEMBER
a) Fund Raising program for STH in Kalimpong/Darjeeling etc featuring a prominent musician.
b) Continue the awareness programs

DECEMBER
a) Continue the awareness programs
b) Assess the impact of awareness / landslide prevention measures taken thru the year.

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My thanks to Ms Aachal Tamang, Exec Member STH for doing much of the work in preparation of the above plan.

praful rao