WEATHERING THE STORM IN ERSAMA-
Extra Questions and Notes
INTRODUCTION
In
October 1999, a cyclone hit Orissa. It killed thousands of people and destroyed
hundreds of houses. Prashant a young man, had gone Ersama, a small town, to
visit one of his friends. The place was just eighteen kilometres from his own
village. Towards the evening, the town was hit by a devastating cyclone.
Prashant and the family of his friend were marooned on the roof of the house
for two dreadful nights. On the third day, Prashant decided to go to his
village. He reached there with great difficulty. He found destruction
everywhere in his village. He at once gathered some young people of his village
and started helping the poor and the needy. This is the story of Prashant’s
courage in the face of a great calamity.
(अक्टूबर 1999 में उड़ीसा
में एक चक्रवात आया । इसने हज़ारों लोगों को मार दिया और सैकड़ों घर नष्ट कर दिए ।
एक युवा व्यक्ति, प्रशांत, अपने एक मित्र से मिलने एरसामा
नामक एक छोटे-से कस्बे में गया हुआ था । वह स्थान उसके अपने गाँव से केवल अट्टारह
किलोमीटर दूर था । शाम के समय, कस्बे में
विनाशकारी चक्रवात आया । प्रशांत एवं उसके मित्र का परिवार घर की छत पर दो भयानक
रातों के लिए फंसा रहा । तीसरे दिन, प्रशांत ने
अपने गाँव जाने का फैसला किया । वह वहाँ बहुत कठिनाई से पहुँचा । उसने अपने गाँव
में चारों ओर विनाश देखा । उसने तुरंत गांव के युवा लोगों को इकट्ठा किया और गरीब
एवं जरूरतमंद लोगों की सहायता करना आरंभ कर दिया । यह एक महान विपत्ति का सामना
करने में प्रशांत के साहस की कहानी है ।)
Theme
When
a natural calamity like a storm takes place, people are put to a lot of
suffering. Apart from the help the government provides, the members of the
community should also mobilise themselves to solve their problems. In this
story, we see how a young boy, hardly 19 years old, takes the initiative and
helps the members of his community to stand on their feet. His leadership
qualities are praised.
Message
This
lesson conveys the message that when a natural calamity strikes, the members of
the community should help themselves. They should not be totally dependent upon
the government to provide help. It also gives the message that the youth have a
major role to play in organising the community to help themselves. Youth should
provide a leadership role to solve the problems of the common people. In this
lesson, we see the leadership provided by Prashant during the superstorm in
Orissa village. We should especially concentrate our efforts on women and
children who form the most vulnerable section of society.
Justification of the title
A superstorm happens in Ersama in Orissa
state, in 1999. A boy called Prashant sees nearly 2500 people in a pitiable
condition in a storm shelter. He mobilised the people to help themselves and
provided succour to them. He arranged accommodation and food for them. Even
after the storm was over, for several months he was involved in rehabilitation
work for the community. Since the article speaks about the efforts of the
people to overcome the destruction caused by the storm, the title is
appropriate
Character Sketch
Prashant: Prashant is a young boy, just 19
years old. He finds himself in a village devastated by the superstorm in
Orissa, in 1999. He visits the storm shelter in his village and decides to help
them out. He takes up a leadership role and starts organising the people. For
several months, he helps the people to overcome their difficulties and come
back to normal life. He becomes a saviour of orphans and widows. Thus we find
Prashant to be a born leader who is ready to work hard to help people to solve
their problems. The people of his village are grateful for all his efforts. He
is a role model for the youth of our country.
Vocabulary
Headquarters—head
office; Coastal—near sea; Menace—threat; Incessant—continuous; Uproot—root out;
Swirl—whirls; Mortar—plaster; Devastation—destruction; Velocity—speed;
Destruction—damage; Cyclone—a violent rotating windstorm; Surge—wave;
Refuge—shelter for protection; Glimpse—view; Carcass—dead body;
Disguise—altering one’s appearance to control one’s identity; Trap—a clever
plan designed to trick; Bereaved—suffering from grief; Cease—to stop; Recede—to
retreat; Situation—a state of affairs; Plead—make an emotional appeal; Equip—to
provide with; Expedition—journey; Shallow—less deep; Catastrophe—a disaster;
Remnant—remains; Outstretch—spread; Miracle—an extraordinary or welcome event;
that is attributed to divine agency; Anxiously—eagerly; Shelter—rescue camp;
Tumult—noise; Pressurise—to force; Triumphant—victor; Rot—spoiled;
Reluctant—unwilling; Wound—injury; Injured—harmed, damaged or impaired;
Utensils—a container, especially for household use; Communicate—to send
message; Orphan—a child having no parents alive; Secure—to gain; Persuade—to
convince; Organise—to arrange; Volunteer—a person working without any desire
for financial gains; Resist—to protest; Stigma—blot; Resettle—to rehabilitate;
Heal—to recover; Grief—hardship.
Summary:
On 27th October 1999. Prashant went to meet
one of his friends who lived in Ersama. The place was eighteen kilometres from
his village. In the evening, a super cyclone came. Winds beat against the
houses with great fury. There was heavy and continuous rain. Houses and people
have washed away against the flood. His friend’s house was made of bricks and
cement. it was strong enough to survive the wind blowing at 350 km per hour.
But one uprooted tree fell on their house and damaged some part of its roof and
walls. To escape the waters rising in the house, Prashant and his friend’s
family took range on the roof. For the next two days, Prashant sat huddled with
his friend’s family on the rooftop. They froze in the cold and the rain. In the
early morning, Prashant saw the destruction caused by the cyclone. There was a
sheet of water everywhere. Only pans of cemented houses were still visible. All
other houses had been washed away. Even huge trees had fallen. Bloated dead
bodies of animals and human beings were floating everywhere.
The
destruction caused by the cyclone and the waves of the ocean continued for the
next thirty-six hours. Two days later, the rain ceased and the rainwater slowly
began to recede. Prashant was worried about his fam-lately. He took a long
stick and started on the eighteen kilometres long and difficult journey to his
village. There was water everywhere. He had to use his stick to locate the
road. At places, it was waist deep and the progress was slow Sometimes. he lost
the road and had to swim. After some distance, he found two friends of his
uncle. They decided to move ahead together. They had to push away many human
bodies floating on the water. There were also carcasses of dogs, goats and
cattle. in every village they passed, they could barely see a house standing.
He feared that his family could not have survived the cyclone. At last, he
reached his village Kalikuda. His heart sank. His house was gone. His family
was nowhere. In order to look for his family, Prashant went to the Red Cross
shelter. Fortunately, his family was alive. They were very glad to see
Prashant. He came to know that eighty-six lives were lost in his village and
all the ninety-six houses had been washed away.
The
cyclone caused a lot of damage in Prashant’s village and surrounding areas.
Prashant decided to help his own family and the others. He organised a group of
youths. They pressurized the local merchant to give rice to the starving
villagers. They burnt a fire and cooked the rice, although it was rotting. His
next step was to clean the place of filth, dirt, urine and floating dead
bodies. They tended the wounds and fractures of many who had been injured. On
the fifth day, a military helicopter dropped food. But it did not return.
Prashant and others devised a plan to attract the attention of the helicopters.
They deputed children to lie there with empty utensils on their stomachs. This
was done to communicate to the helicopters that they were hungry. The scheme
worked and the helicopters started dropping food regularly.
Prashant
brought the orphaned children and made a shelter for them. He asked the woman
to look after them. But he found that women and children were sinking deeper
and deeper into their grief. A non-government organization had started a
portion of food for work programme. Prashant persuaded them to join it. He
engaged other volunteers to help widows start their lives again. The orphaned
children were resettled in their own community.
Though
six months have passed since the cyclone caused heavy destruction, the widows
and orphaned children of the village still seek Prashant in their hour of grief
and need.
SUMMARY IN HINDI
27 अक्टूबर, 1999 को
प्रशांत अपने एक मित्र को मिलने गया जो एरसामा में रहता था । वह स्थान उसके गाँव
से अट्ठारह किलोमीटर दूर था । शाम को एक तीव्र चक्रवात आ गया । हवा बड़े जोर के
साथ मकानों से टकराई । तेज और लगातार बरसात हुई । घर और लोग बाढ़ में बह गए । उसके
मित्र का घर ईटों और सीमेंट का बना हुआ था । यह इतना मज़बूत था कि 350 मील प्रति
घंटा की गति से चलने वाली हवाओं को झेल गया । मगर एक उखडा हुआ वृक्ष उनके घर पर
गिर गया और छत के कुछ भाग एवं दीवारों को नुकसान पहुँचाया । घर में बढ़ते हुए पानी
से बचने के लिए प्रशांत और उसके मित्र के परिवार ने छत पर आश्रय लिया। वे ठंड एवं
बरसात में जम गए । सुबह प्रशांत ने चक्रवात द्धारा किए गए विनाश को देखा । चारों
तरफ पानी की चादर थी । केवल सीमेंट वाले मकानों के कुछ भाग नजर आ रहे थे । बाकी
सारे घर बह गए थे । यहाँ तक कि बड़े-बड़े वृक्ष भी गिर गए थे । जानवरों और मनुष्यों
की फूली हुई लाशें चारों तरफ तैर रही थीं ।
चक्रवात एवं सागर की लहरों द्वारा पैदा किया
गया विनाश अगले छत्तीस घंटे तक चला । दो दिन बाद, बरसात बंद हो गई और बरसात का
पानी धीरे-घीरे उतरने लगा । प्रशांत को अपने परिवार की चिंता थी । उसने एक लंबी
छड़ी ली और अपने गाँव की ओर अट्ठारह किलोमीटर लंबी एवं मुश्किल यात्रा आरंभ कर दी ।
चारों तरफ पानी था । उसे सड़क को ढूँढने के लिए छडी का प्रयोग करना पड़ता था । कई
जगह पानी कमर तक गहरा था और आगे बढ़ना बहुत धीमा था । कई बार सड़क खो जाती थी और उसे
तैरना पड़ता था । कुछ दूर जाने के बाद उसे अपने चाचा जी के दो मित्र मिल गए ।
उन्होंने मिलकर आगे बढ़ने का फैसला किया । उन्हें पानी पर तैरती हुई मानवीय लाशों
को परे धकेलना पड़ता था । वहाँ कुत्तों, बकरियों और मवेशियों की लाशें भी
थीं । वे जिस भी गाँव से गुजरे, वहाँ मुश्किल से ही कोई घर सलामत नज़र जाता था
। उसे डर था कि उसका परिवार उस चक्रवात में जीवित नहीं बचा होगा । आखिर वह अपने
गाँव कालीकुदा पहुँचा । उसका दिल डूब गया । उसका घर बह गया था । उसके परिवार का
कहीं पता नहीं था । अपने परिवार की तलाश करने के लिए प्रशांत रेडक्रॉस आश्रय में
गया । सौभाग्यवश उसका परिवार जीवित था । वे प्रशांत को देखकर बहुत प्रसन्न हुए ।
उसे पता चला कि गांव के छियासी लोग मर गए थे और सारे के सारे छियानवें घर वह गए थे
।
चक्रवात ने प्रशांत के गाँव एवं आस-पास के
गाँवों में बहुत विनाश किया । प्रशांत ने अपने परिवार एवं अन्य लोगों की सहायता
करने का निर्णय लिया । उसने जवानों का एक समूह संगठित किया । उन्होंने स्थानीय
व्यापारी पर दबाव डाला कि वह भूख से मरते ग्रामीणों को चावल दे । उन्होंने आग
जलाईं और चावल पकाया, यद्यपि यह सड़ रहा था । उसका अगला कदम था कि
उस स्थान से गंदगी, कूड़ा, पेशाब और तैरती हुई लाशें हटाई
जाएं । जो बहुत से लोग घायल हो गए थे, उन्होंने उनके जख्मों और टूटे
अंगों की देखभाल की । पाँचवें दिन, मिलिट्री के एक हेलीकॉप्टर ने
भोजन गिराया । मगर यह लौटकर नहीं आया । प्रशांत एवं अन्य लोगों ने हैलीकॉप्टर का
ध्यान अपनी और आकर्षित करने के लिए एक योजना बनाई । उन्होंने बच्चों को कहा कि वे
अपने पेट पर खाली बर्तन रखकर लेट जाएँ । ऐसा इसलिए किया गया कि वे हेलीकाप्टरों को
बताएं कि वे भूखे हैं । यह योजना काम कर गई और उसके बाद हैलिकोप्टर ने नियमित रुप
से भोजन गिराना आरंभ किया ।
प्रशांत अनाथ बच्चों को लाया और उनके लिए एक
आश्रय बनाया । उसने स्त्रियाँ को कहा कि वे उनकी देखभाल करें । मगर उसने देखा कि
स्त्रियाँ और बच्चे गम में और गहरे डूबते जा रहे थे । एक गैर –सरकारी
संस्था ने काम के बदले अनाज योजना आरंभ की । प्रशांत ने उन्हें मनाया कि वे इस योजना में शामिल हों । उसने अन्य स्वयं
सेवकों को इस काम पर लगाया कि वे विधवाओं की अपना जीवन फिर से आरंभ करने में
सहायता करे । अनाथ बच्चों को अपने ही समुदाय में फिर से बसाया गया ।
यधपि उस बात को छ: महीने बीत गए है जब
चक्रवात ने भारी विनाश किया था ,मगर गाँव की विधवाएँ एवं बच्चे अपने दुःख एवं
आवश्यकता के समय में अभी भी प्रशांत की तलाश करते हैं ।
Very Short Answer Type
Important Questions
1.
When did the cyclone hit Orissa ?
Ans.
The cyclone hit Orissa on 27 October 1999.
2.
Where was Prashant when the cyclone hit Orissa?
Ans.
At that time he was in a small coastal town of Orissa, some eighteen kilometres
from his village.
3.
What was the name of Prashant’s village?
Ans.
The name of his village was Kalikuda.
4.
Who met Prashant on his way back to the village?
Ans. He met two friends of his uncle on his
way back to the village.
5.
What had Prashant to push away on his way back to the village?
Ans.
Prashant had to push away many human bodies, and carcasses of dogs, cattle and
goats.
6.
How did Prashant find his house when he reached his village?
Ans.
He found only the remnants of the roof of his house.
7.
What did Prashant found about children in the relief camp?
Ans.
Prashant found that a large number of children had been orphaned.
8.
How have the people of the community helped one another?
Ans.
The people of the community helped one another with great co-operation.
9.
How did Prashant feel when he reached his village?
Ans.
His heart went cold when he reached his village.
10.
How did Prashant travel back to his village from Ersama?
Ans.
Prashant travelled on foot and swimming through the deep water back to his
village.
11.
How did people receive food in Prashant’s village?
Ans. Food packets were dropped by helicopters.
Short
Answer Type Questions (30 to 40 words)
1. Where were Prashant and his friends during
the two days of the super cyclone? What did they live on? Where did they get
their ‘food’ from?
Ans.
The rainwater was entering the house during the super cyclone. So, Prashant and
his friend’s family remained on the roof of the house for two days. Two coconut
trees had fallen on the roof of the house. Prashant and his friend’s family
lived on them. They got their food from these tender coconuts.
2.
(i) Why was it difficult for Prashant to travel back to his village?
Ans. There was water everywhere. He had to use
his stick to locate the road. At some places, it was waist deep and the
progress was slow. Sometimes, he lost the road and had to swim. After some
distance, he found two friends of his uncle. They decided to move ahead
together. They had to push away many human bodies floating on the water.
(ii)
“His heart went cold’ when he reached his village. Why?
Ans.
At last Prashant reached his village Kalikuda. His heart sank. His house was
gone. His family was nowhere. In order to look for his family, Prashant went to
the Red Cross Shelter. Fortunately, his family was alive. They were very glad
to see Prashant. He came to know that eighty-six lives were lost in his village
and all the ninety-six houses had been washed away.
Q.3.What
were the two important tasks Prashant did after deciding to be the leader of
the village?
Ans.
The first task was that he organised a group of youths and elders to make the
merchant give them rice. They succeeded in their mission. Secondly, he made a
team of youth volunteers. They cleaned the shelter of the dirt, urine, vomit
and floating carcasses.
Q.4. How did the villagers make the
helicopters drop regular quantities of the flood?
Ans. Prashant and others devised a plan to
attract the attention of the helicopters. They deputed children to lie there
with empty utensils on their stomachs. This was done to communicate to the
helicopters that they were hungry. The scheme worked and the helicopters started
dropping food regularly.
Q.5.
How did Prashant and his friend’s family pass two days of the super cyclone?
Ans.
As the flood water was rising, Prashant and his friend’s family sat on the open
roof of the house. They froze in the cold and continuous rain. Two coconut
trees had fallen on the roof. They proved to be a blessing in disguise. They
survived by eating the tender coconuts.
Q6.
What havoc had the super cyclone wrecked in the life of the people of
Orissa?
Ans. The super cyclone was a devastating storm
which washed the houses away and destroyed hundreds of villages. It killed
thousands of people and uprooted a large number of trees. There were dead
bodies all around. People became homeless and many children who had lost their
parents became orphans. This crazed destruction continued for the next
thirty-six hours. The condition seemed grim after the super cyclone.
Q7.
How has Prashant, a teenager, been able to help the people of his village?
Ans. On reaching his village, Prashant found
deplorable conditions all around him. He had leadership qualities so he took
the initiative to rehabilitate people. He made a team of young volunteers and
cleaned urine, filth, vomit and floating carcasses. His team was fully
dedicated to serving others. He persuaded grief-stricken women to look after
children. In this way, he became a ray of hope for all.
Q8.
How did Prashant spend his time during the first two days of the super cyclone?
Ans.
When the super cyclone hit coastal Orissa, Prashant was at his friend’s house
with neck-deep water. They spent two days on the roof of the house and lived on
tender coconuts of those two trees which had fallen on the roof.
Q9.
What did Prashant see when he reached his village?
Ans.
When Prashant reached his village, his heart turned cold. Houses had been
washed away. Only roofs were lying on the ground. The belongings were mixed up
and twisted. The tree branches appeared above water. His maternal grandmother
was the first woman Prashant saw in the crowd at the Red Cross shelter.
Q10.
How did Prashant manage food for village people?
Ans. A military helicopter dropped some
parcels but it didn’t return. The youth task force of the village asked the
children to lie in the sand with empty utensils on their stomach. They were
successful in telling the helicopters that they were hungry. So the helicopter
dropped regular food and other supplies to them.
Q11.
How did the super cyclone affect the life of the people of Orissa?
Ans. Super cyclone in Orissa in October 1999
proved very devastating. Heavy and incessant rain filled the darkness. Ancient
trees were uprooted and crashed to the earth. People and houses were washed
away.
Q12.
What did Prashant do for orphaned children?
Ans.
Prashant found that a large number of children had been orphaned. He brought
them together and put up a polythene shelter for them. He organised cricket
matches for children. Prashant tried to set up their children in new foster
families made up of childless widows and children.
Q13.
Do you think Prashant is a good leader? Do you think young people can get
together to help people during natural calamities?
Ans. Undoubtedly, Prashant is a good leader.
He has all the qualities of a leader. He has a special quality of taking
initiatives. His vision is quite clear. He faces adverse circumstances
courageously. He is a source of energy for others and has great motivational
power. I think that youth is power. This power can be used to assist society
during natural disasters. Whatever job is assigned to the youth in such
circumstances they perform their duty with full spirit.
Q14. How have the people of the community
helped one another? What role do the women of Kalikuda play during these
days?
Ans. Prashant took the initiative and
mobilised everyone to help one another. In this time of distress, the people of
the community joined hands together and started relief work. Women started
working in the Food for Work Programme and looked after the orphans.
Q15. What happened in the evening when
Prashant was at his friend’s house in Ersama?
Ans.
In the evening when Prashant was at his friend’s house, a dark and menacing
storm gathered. Winds started blowing at great speed. Heavy and continuous
rains filled the darkness. Ancient trees were uprooted and crushed to death.
The angry water rushed in his friend’s house, neck deep.
Q16. Where had Prashant gone on 27th October
1999? Why?
Ans.
Prashant had gone to block headquarters of Ersama on 27th October 1999. He had
gone there to spend a day with a friend. Ersama is a small town in coastal
Orissa.
Q17.
How did the two fallen coconut trees prove a blessing in disguise for Prashant
and his friend’s family?
Ans.
The cyclonic storm with a high wind velocity of 350 km per hour uprooted many
huge and old trees. Two coconut trees had fallen on the roof of their house.
This proved to be a blessing in disguise for them. The tender coconuts from the
trees kept the trapped family from starving for several days.
Q18.
How were the orphans and the widows resettled?
Ans.
Prashant had deep sympathy for the flood victims. He could not tolerate the
deplorable condition of women and children. He decided to get them engaged. So,
he persuaded the women to work in the food-for-work programme. He made a
special arrangement for the children to keep them busy.
Q19.
After becoming the leader of his village, Prashant performed two important
tasks. What were they?
Ans. Prashant was a courageous boy. He decided
to improve the condition of the village. He became the leader of the village
and started work. First of all, he organised the youths and elders of the
village into a group. They put pressure on the rich merchant to donate some
rice for the poor. They also made the helicopters drop food for the hungry
people.
Q20. Why do Prashant and other volunteers
resist the plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows? What
alternatives do they consider?
Ans.
Prashant and other volunteers resisted the plan as they felt that it would not
be proper to set up separate institutions for orphans and widows. The group of
volunteers was of the opinion that in these institutions children would not be
able to get love and widows would suffer from stigma and loneliness and
isolation. The group decided to rehabilitate them in their own community. New
families were made and the childless widows took care of the orphans.
Important Long
ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS
1.
Describe the destruction caused by the super cyclone as narrated in the story
*Weathering the Storm in Ersama’.
Ans.
On 27th October 1999, Prashant went to meet one of his friends who lived in
Ersama. The place was eighteen kilometres from his village. In the evening, a
super cyclone came. Winds beat against the houses with great fury. There was
heavy and continuous rain. Houses and people were washed away in the flood. His
friend’s house was made of bricks and cement. It was strong enough to survive
the wind blowing at 350 km per hour. hut one uprooted tree fell on their house
and damaged some part of its roof and walls. To escape the waters rising in the
house, Prashant and his friend’s family took refuge on the roof. For the next
two days, Prashant sat huddled with his friend’s family on the rooftop. They
froze in cold and rain. In the early morning, Prashant saw the destruction
caused by the cyclone. There was a sheet of water everywhere. Only parts of
cemented houses were still visible. All other houses had been washed away. Even
huge trees had fallen. Bloated dead-bodies of animals and human beings were
floating everywhere.
Q.2.
Describe how Prashant reached his village after the cyclone?
Ans.
The destruction caused by the cyclone and the waves of the ocean continued for
the next thirty-six hours. Two days later, the rain ceased and the rainwater
slowly began to recede. Prashant was worried about his family. He took a long
stick and started on the eighteen kilometres long and difficult journey to his
village. There was water everywhere. He had to use his stick to locate the
road. At places, it was waiting deep and the progress was slow. Sometimes, he
lost the road and had to swim. After some distance, he found two friends of his
uncle. They decided to move ahead together. They had to push away many human
bodies floating on the water. There were also carcasses of dogs, goats and
cattle. In every village they passed, they could barely see a house standing.
Ile feared that his family could not have survived the cyclone. At last, he
reached his village Kalikuda. His heart sank. His house was gone. His family
was nowhere. In order to look for his family, Prashant went to the Red Cross
Shelter. Fortunately, his family was alive. They were very glad to see
Prashant. He came to know that eighty-six lives were lost in his village and
all the ninety-six houses had been washed away.
Q.3.
Describe how Prashant helped himself and others at the time of the natural
calamity?
Ans.
The cyclone caused a lot of damage in Prashant’s village and surrounding areas.
Prashant decided to help his own family and the others. He organised a group of
youths. They pressurized the local merchant to give rice to the starving
villagers. They burnt a fire and cooked the rice, although it was rotten; His
next step was to clean the place of filth, dirt, urine and floating dead
bodies. They tended the wounds and fractures of many who had been injured. On
the fifth day, a military helicopter dropped food. But it did not return.
Prashant and others devised a plan to attract the attention of the helicopters.
They deputed children to lie there with empty utensils on their stomachs. This
was done to communicate to the helicopters that they were hungry. The scheme
worked and the helicopters started dropping food regularly.
The
Prashant brought the orphaned children and made a shelter for them. He asked
the woman to look after them. But he found that women and children were sinking
deeper and deeper into their grief. A non-government organization had started
food for work programme. Prashant persuaded them to join it. He eng..get other
volunteers to help widows start their lives again. The orphaned children were
resettled in their own community.
Q4.
Prashant did not help his family members, but he helped the whole community
during the cyclone. What is your opinion on this matter?
Ans. On reaching his village, Prashant found
deplorable conditions all around him. He had leadership qualities so he took
the initiative to rehabilitate people. He made a team of young volunteers and
cleaned urine, filth, vomit and floating carcasses. His team was fully
dedicated to serving others. He persuaded grief-stricken women to look after
children. In this way, he became a ray of hope for all. Undoubtedly, Prashant
is a good leader. He has all the qualities of a leader. He has a special
quality of taking initiatives. His vision is quite clear. He faces adverse
circumstances courageously. He is a source of energy for others and has great
motivational power. I think that youth is power. This power can be used to
assist society during natural disasters. Whatever job is assigned to the youth
in such circumstances they perform their duty with full spirit.
Q5.
The widows and orphans of village Kalikuda remember Prashant’s help after the
cyclone with gratitude. Explain how Prashant helped them in their darkest hour
of grief.
Ans.
After the devastation, the shelter was established at Kalikuda. Around 2500
people were there. The whole atmosphere was grimy. The people survived on green
coconuts. The men, the women and the children looked helpless. They were filled
with fear and groaning for the dead. Prashant took the initiative and organised
many groups. They could succeed in their efforts and got rice to eat. They got
relief packages sent through helicopters. There was filth, vomit, urine. The
floating carcasses could be seen all around. Life seemed slow there. The people
there passed their time in gossiping and performing several activities. The
situation of the shelter showed a clear picture of suffering humanity.
Q6. Within two days of the cyclone, Prashant
left Ersama for his village Kalikuda so that he can know the fate of his
family. Was it right to do so?
Ans.
After two days when the rain ceased and the rainwater began to recede
slowly, Prashant decided to visit his
village. He had to face many difficulties on his way. He equipped himself with
a long stick and started his journey. The village was 18 kilometres away from
this place. He kept moving ahead through the swollen flood waters. He used his
stick to estimate the depth of the water. When he reached the village his heart
went cold on seeing the little pieces of roofs floating in the water. After a
while, he could see his grandmother. She rushed and hugged him. Later on, the
other members of his family were found in the Red Cross Shelter.
Q7.
During natural calamities, women and children need more protection. Explain
Prashant’s role in organising relief measures for women and children during the
storm in Ersama.
Ans.
The scene after the storm and heavy rain was quite tragic. There were dead
bodies and uprooted trees all around. A brown sheet of water covered
everything. There was water everywhere. The rain ceased after two days but
water could be seen as far as the eyes could gaze. Because of heavy rain, there
was little hope for the betterment of the flood victims. Prashant tackled all
these problems very carefully. First of all, he owned the responsibility of a
leader of the group. He organized a group of youths and elders that compelled
merchants to part with a good quota of the rice. They collected wood, cooked
rice and fed the people. Then he arranged a team of youth to clean the
surroundings of the shelter. They looked after the wounded people. He persuaded
women to look after the orphans. To bring people out of their grief he
organized games for the children. For the same reason, he convinced women to
take part in Food-for-work programs. He became the prime example of courage and
compassion.
Q8. Do you think adversity or crises bring people
closer? How? Explain with reference to the lesson ‘Weathering the Storm in
Ersama’.
Ans.
Man is a social animal. Despite food and other common needs, he cannot live
without company and love of his near or dear ones. In adversity or crises, it
is noticed that they come forward to help one another without any previous
ill-feeling for one another. Adversity or crisis brings people together. There
is a bond of humanity. The victims of the cyclone in Erasama helped one
another. They worked together during this resettlement. They took care of
orphans and widows. Prashant managed to unite them and work for one another.
Thus in the hour of grief, the people of the community joined hands under the
leadership of Prashant. They came forward to help one another. Prashant brought
the survivors together and formed a youth task force. The youth took the charge
and volunteered themselves for cleaning the shelters of filth, urine and vomit.
Q9.
The future of a country depends upon the power of youth. Explain how Prashant
organised the youth in Ersama to help the cyclone-affected people.
Ans.
Prashant became a leader of the village. He sent a delegation to the merchants
and got the full quota of rice for the people taking shelter in the shed. Then
he organised a team of volunteers to clean the shelter. On the fifth day of the
camp, One Military helicopter dropped food packets but did not return again.
Then the youth task force was set up. The group debuted the children to lie on
the floor. They had the empty utensils on their stomachs. By that, they were
able to communicate with the passing helicopters that they were hungry.
Finally, the helicopters dropped a good quantity of food there.
Value Based Questions and Answers of
WEATHERING THE STORM IN ERSAMA
QUICK
REVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
1.
The heavy cyclone hit Orissa in
(A) 1998
(B) 1999
(C) 2000
(D) 2001
Ans. (B) 1999
2.
Where was Prashant when the cyclone hit his village?
(A) at the block headquarter about 18 k.ms
from his village
(B) in his village
(C) in another stage
(D) none of the above
Ans. (A) at the block headquarter about 18
k.ms from his village
3.
How did Prashant reach his village?
(A) travelling on foot
(B) swimming through water
(C) both (A) and (B)
(D) none of the above
Ans. (C) both (A) and (B)
4.
What did Prashant see in the flood water floating?
(A) dead bodies of men, women and
children (B) carcasses of
dogs, goats and cattle
(C) household possessions
(D) all of the above
Ans. (D) all of the above
5.
How much distance was covered by Prashant through flood water?
(A) Eighteen kilometres (B) Eighty
kilometres
(C) Hundred kilometres (D) Two hundred
kilometres
Ans. (A) Eighteen kilometres
6.
The name of Prashant’s village is
(A) kalikuda
(B) ersama
(C) palikuda (D)
none of the above
Ans. (A) kalikuda
7.
Could Prashant meet his family when he reached his village?
(A) Yes
(B) No
(C) Maybe
(D) May not be
Ans. (B) No
8.
How long did it rain continuously in Ersama?
(A) for 24 hours
(B) for 36 hours
(C) for 48 hours
(D) none of the above
Ans. (B) for 36 hours
9.
What calamity hit Orissa?
(A) cyclone
(B) earthquake
(C) drought
(D) land sliding
Ans. (A) cyclone
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