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The emergency response programme was initiated in Andaman & Nicobar islands after the Tsunami 2004.
The transition of emergency phase to rehabilitation and then the long term development initiatives have passed a long way of community participation and collaboration of different stakeholders.
The fundamental objective of the long term development initiatives has been to reduce the future vulnerabilities of the affected communities and minimise the loss.
To achieve this, critical awareness was created among the community extensively.
This provided a physical opportunity as well as established a collective mind set towards introducing changes in structural and non structural risk management practices.
These coupled with informed and effective local cadre of volunteers and resource persons helped in creating wide knowledge to sustain public commitment over a time period.
Some of the key activities of the Aparajita Andaman project during the previous quarter have been:
Smoke Free Campaign: VHAI organized a two days awareness workshop in collaboration with the Directorate of Health Services, A & N Administration. VHAI is a member of the Monitoring and Enforcement Committee of Tobacco Control in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Team members from VHAI along with enforcement officials from the Directorate of Health Services and Police Department visited education institutions and other public places to ensure an effective implementation of the Tobacco Control Law.
Health Promotion: In collaboration with the Coast Guard Port Blair and DHS, VHAI organized a motorcycle rally from Diglipur to Port Blair to create awareness on various health issues. A number of awareness activities were organized on HIV/AIDS in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. An awareness meeting and film show on HIV AIDS (Anant) was organized in VHAI’s conference room at Saheed Bhawan, Minnie Bay.
The Andaman Music Choir Group, a local cultural group has been engaged by VHAI-Aparajita in its campaign against tobacco use and its environmental and health hazards. The group has composed several songs highlighting the benefits of not-smoking and hazards of uncontrolled use of plastics.
Resource Center: The resource center of VHAI in Port Blair is full fledged operational. The center is well equipped with books and resource materials. The center is open for the common people, researchers, scholars, development professionals and other interested readers.
There are 7,522 books in the center comprising of books on disaster management, health promotion, tobacco control, women issues, reproductive and child health, and various other health and development issues. The resource center is also linked with the state government. Various organisations have shown interest in taking resource materials for the training programmes organized for their staff members and other beneficiaries.
Restoration of Mangroves: VHAI team in cooperation with local tribals has been able to restore 20 hectares of Mangroves in the Nancowrie group of islands.
School students have been mobilized to generate awareness towards the restoration of mangrove forests.
Eco clubs have also been formed in different schools for the sustainability of the programme. It is further envisaged to transplant another 20,000 seedlings to replace the damaged saplings.
Environmental Regeneration and Restoration: The environment degradation in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a major challenge. After continuous persuasion and effective advocacy measures by VHAI now Island is declared plastic free.
This was the result of our constant efforts, campaign and filing of PIL by VHAI.
Rescue Centers in Nancowrie group of Islands: In Nancowrie group of islands the administration had provided land to construct the rescue centers.
All the centers are earthquake resistant. These centers have been handed over to the local administration for the use by the community. The community is using these centers for collective purposes and they are trained to manage them as rescue shelters.
Follow up of Vulnerable Families: In the initial rehabilitation phase, altogether 312 vulnerable families were identified and supported. Now most of the families supported under petty trade are doing good business. VHAI has further provided support to these families in terms of establishing bank linkages, local exposure and linkages with traders. The VHAI team is regularly visiting the supported families as a follow-up to understand their current situation. All these families have bank accounts and maintain a daily deposit system. These families have insured their assets like shops, livestock and their personal properties against fire and natural calamity under a micro-insurance plan.
Follow up of Self Help Groups: 55 SHGs have been mobilized in the Tsunami affected areas.
The groups were guided and supported as per their needs and capacity.
Currently all these groups are actively engaged in vaious income generating activities. VHAI is coordinating the capacity building and linkages of these groups.
Follow up of Fisher Folk Rehabilitation Program: The fisher folk community which was supported by VHAI in the rehabilitation phase is currently having new improved boats, nets and fishing gears, helping them to increased the catch.
They have formed groups, got the insurance done and are trying to avail government schemes
Budgam Declared First Smoke Free District In Jammu & Kashmir 
