Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Aid for relief work pouring in

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 28. As rescue and relief operations picked up in the coastal areas stricken by the giant tsunami waves, various Government agencies and voluntary organisations have come forward to offer assistance to the victims.

The Speaker, Therambil Ramakrishnan, announced here today that a sum of Rs.3 lakhs would be handed over to the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, soon as the first instalment of the contribution by the MLAs. He has also appealed to the employees of the Legislature Secretariat to contribute at least a day's earnings to the relief fund.

The Thiruvananthapuram division of Southern Railway will distribute essential items such as blankets, bedsheets and medicines to the victims. A medical team has been sent to Kayankulam and the civil defence team of the Railways is on standby to assist the State Government in relief work. The Southern Railway Women's Welfare Organisation will distribute clothes to the affected people.

The Joint Council of State Service Organisations decided to contribute a day's earnings to the relief fund. The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation has started despatching cooked foodstuff, drinking water, candles, matches and other essential items to the stricken island nation of the Maldives. The consignments are being airlifted by Indian Air Force planes.

The Kerala Livestock Development Board has deployed teams to Alappuzha to assist in relief operations. The teams are engaged in animal husbandry activities. The board has also distributed mattresses, towels and soaps for the people housed in relief camps.

Employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board will contribute a day's earnings to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The board president and member launched the collection drive by contributing Rs.1,001 each.

The KIMS hospital contributed Rs.1.5 lakhs to the Chief Minister's relief fund for the victims of the tsunami tragedy. KIMS has also offered two ambulances, medicines, doctors and nursing services for emergency medical assistance in any part of the State.

The Art of Living Foundation has set up a special cell to coordinate relief operations in the affected areas. Truckloads of clothes, food stuffs and medicines have been despatched to the stricken regions and volunteers are engaged in relief work.

The All-Kerala Private College Teachers Association urged its members to contribute at least a day's earnings to the relief fund. The employees of Keltron have also decided to contribute to the fund.

The Abhaya home for the dispossessed has set up a relief fund to help the tsunami victims. The Abhaya secretary has invited contributions to the fund from the public.

As many as 600 volunteers of Shiv Sena have been sent to the affected areas in Kollam and Alappuzha to assist in the relief operations. The volunteers distributed food and clothes to the people in the relief camps. The Sena has also sent 15 ambulances to Karunagapally.

The Public Relations Department Staff Association has decided to contribute a day's earnings to the relief fund.

The AITUC State committee urged its members to contribute a day's earnings to the fund and participate in the rehabilitation of the affected people. The Secretariat Pensioners Welfare Association has started collecting clothes for the victims of the tsunami disaster.

The Nehru Yuva Kendra appealed to all the affiliated voluntary agencies to collect donations to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. The district committee of the Sunni Students Federation urged its members and the public to contribute to relief activities in the tsunami affected areas.

KCBC gesture

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conference has decided to contribute Rs.10 lakhs for the relief operations, according to a press release quoting its president, Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios. This was decided after an emergency meeting of the conference here. Youth groups and social organisations are now engaged in helping the victims under the leadership of the various dioceses, the release added.

The district unit of the CPI(M) has asked its cadres to set all other activities and involve them fully in relief activities. The secretary, M. Vijayakumar, has urged the public to donate clothes, food articles and medicines to party workers who approach them.

Plea to NRIs

The All Kerala Pravasi Malayali Association secretary, R.P. Kumar, has requested expatriate Malayalis to contribute generously to the relief fund. In a statement, he said that in the past, certain unscrupulous elements had organised unauthorised fund collection drives during such calamities. The NRIs should guard against this and send their contributions directly to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Mr. Kumar said.

The Electrical Inspectorate Engineers Welfare Society has handed over a cheque for Rs.10,000 to the Minister for Electricity, Aryadan Mohammed, towards the relief fund. The electrical engineers in the district have been requested to render all assistance to those staying in the relief camps.

The Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association has decided to organise a fund collection drive on December 30 and 31 for the victims. The association secretary, K.K. Divakaran, has urged the employees to contribute a day's wage from their January salary towards the fund.

The proceeds of the New Year celebrations to be organised at Hotel Horizon at Thampanoor in the capital on December 31 will be donated to ` The Hindu Relief Fund,' according to a spokesman of the hotel.

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