On the day of 1st July 2005, like many others, it was a very difficult situation for Dhirajben, a resident of Kalali village. The whole village got flooded and people were stranded in their homes for days. When our volunteers reached Kalali finally after negotiating a difficult ride through water, they met Dhirajben and offered help. She told out volunteers that more than me these others in my neighborhood need food etc. and I have got food for 3 to 4 days.

The magnanimity displayed by this old lady is the value what we at SFT stand for.

Dhirajben is a retired employee of Shroffs Foundation Trust.

“No moment without action” (and action for the needy, poor and underprivileged) is the value each of our team members stand for. Each team member of SFT will, irrespective of the problems she may be in, always try hard to do something for those in need.

The heavy rainfall in the last week of June 2005 and overflowing of rivers in Vadodara District lead to large-scale evacuation of people, immense loss and damage of life, property, agriculture fields and livestock.

On 30 June 2005, Shrutiben Shroff (our managing trustee) was very disturbed and concerned about people living in villages which were reported to have been flooded. Due to high levels of water, it was not possible to go to these villages but she was very firm that we must try and go to these villages. She said you must act every moment to try hard to reach those in need in these villages. It was only here determination and her mentoring to us for years to believe in the philosophy of “Karma” (action), we finally managed to reach villages even in deep waters.

She questioned us “ Will you people sit here and talk about high waters if your own children are stranded in these villages?”.

And we ran. We ran with our heart and mind to do whatever best we could.

We had only one way to try to go. Take a tractor and try to go as deep as possible. It was also difficult to use boat as the current was strong. We finally went in a tractor. The courage and determination of SF1 team can be felt from the words of one team member.

“…………..9 of us rode on a tractor along with hot ready-to-eat food. The ride on the tractor was never to forget’ in the life time. We were not sure of reaching the village since the tires of the tractor were in water. Driver Nathu had been cleverly maneuvering through the waters. With baited breath we waded through the water

hoping we don’t go off the road since the road could not be seen at all. Confident Nathu gave us reassurance to hold on tight to whatever we found on the tractor.

He drove slowly but steadily on center of the road that could not be seen. Eagerly awaiting villagers gave directions to our driver to the route to be taken. The pace of the flow of water was pulling the tractor off the road. Some of the villagers came to us from the village on a makeshift flotilla made of planks tides to drums. Many of the villagers used a chain/string by holding it in hands and wading through the water welcoming us………………….”

SFT has always believed in quick action whenever a disaster strikes, be it floods in Orissa or earthquake in Kutch or recent floods in Gujarat.

Catastrophe struck Gujarat in the form of floods owing to the incessant rain due to monsoon’s upper air cyclonic circulation beginning from 25 June 2005 to 3 July 2005.

The otherwise moderate rain regions of Central and South Gujarat received the wrath of God in the form of unprecedented rainfall of 47 inches in 9 days. This unusual rainfall lead to flood situation in two-thirds of Gujarat state. The situation turned menacing when heavy rainfall in the catchments areas necessitated opening of gates of the major darns; Rivers overflowed; Breaches in canal walls; Resulted in floods in large areas including most unexpected areas. The worst affected districts being- Vadodara, Surat, Anand, Nadiad, Navsari, Dangs, Valsad, Bharuch, Ahemdabad and Surendranagar. In these districts floodwaters washed away villages, damaged/destroyed houses causing loss of life and extensive damage to property.

The instant impact was felt in the form of electric failure, partially impairing telecommunication network. The connecting roads were also made inoperational being submerged under several feet of water. Even State and National Highways also became inoperational with heavy breaches on the road due to submerging in water leading to the worst ever traffic jams for days. The prestigious Express Highway built to global standards also could not stand to the fury of the floods despite the fact that the Express highway is several feet higher than the normal land level.

Vadodara City and the rest of the District were worst affected in the last hundred years due to the unprecedented rains.

The Vishwamitri, Dhandhar, Bhukhi and Meswa rivers caused water to flood in to even the most unexpected places. About 99000 people had to be evacuated to safer areas with having enormous loss and damage to property, agricultural produce, and livestock. Many lost their entire life savings. Several villages submerged with floodwater for almost a week. The threat of epidemic break-out was imminent in this situation. Vadodara city and Padra Taluka were worst affected due to sudden release of water from Pratapura Sarovar and Ajwa reservoir in the already overflowing Vishwamitri.

As always, in this grime and grave scenario, Shroffs Foundation Trust rose to the occasion to provide relief and succor to those affected by the flood fury. At an emergency meeting with the Vadodara District Collector, Shroffs Foundation Trust offered to take over and shoulder the responsibility of providing relief operations in 91 revenue villages of Vadodara and Padra Talukas including 19 hamlets. The most important aspect of the discussion in the meeting with the Collector was to prevent outbreak of epidemic is the affected areas, mainly in villages, as it is known, heavy rains and flooding bring in serious threat of epidemic outbreak and proper sanitation measures become an absolute necessity.

Shroffs Foundation Trust decided to take this as a challenge and conducted intensive sanitation and Mass fumigation operations in the affected parts of the villages.

The Trust, with the help of Excel Industries Ltd, deployed, among others very competent technical and field staff having past experience of in Tsunami struck areas to ensure effective and efficient sanitation.

The Sanitation teams used high quality disinfectant material, which comprised of Bioculum and Sanitreat mixture, which were sprayed with lime powder. The spray mixture in the concentrated form decomposed human and animal corpses’ faster and reduced odor.

Mass Fumigation equipments were also brought from Kutch to disinfect areas by using special pumps and treatment material.

This Herculean task of relief, sanitation and supportive activities and was successfully completed by specific actions taken with knowledge, motivation, faith and treating the task like worship.