The Hindu : Karnataka News : Transport corporations give Rs. 60 lakhs for relief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Transport corporations give Rs. 60 lakhs for relief

By Our Staff Reporter

Four vehicles of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation carrying relief material for the tsunami-affected people in Tamil Nadu were flagged off by the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE, DEC. 30. The State-owned transport corporations today handed over a cheque for Rs. 60 lakhs to the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, for providing relief to the tsunami-hit people. This is part of the total contribution of Rs. 2 crores, constituting one day's salary of the employees of the transport corporations.

The Minister for Transport, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, handed over the cheque to Mr. Singh on behalf Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, North Eastern Karnataka Transport Corporation, and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. Twenty-five employees of the corporations have left by a bus to help the victims in Tamil Nadu with 210 tents and 700 T-shirts, hundreds of `lungis,' medicines and other relief material. The Chief Minister flagged off four vehicles carrying them today.

The South Western Railway said in a statement today that Bharat Scouts and Guides attached to its Bangalore division will leave by the Mysore-Tanjore Express (train no. 6832) on January 2 with relief material. Those interested may hand over articles they wish to send for the tsunami-affected people at the Scouts and Guides booth set up in front of the office of the Station Manager, Bangalore Railway Station from 10 a.m. on December 31 to 2 p.m. on January 2.

Relief pours in

With the threat of another tsunami striking the coastline persisting, relief from organisations for the victims continues to pour in.

Bharati Tele-ventures has set up several communication centres near hospitals, police stations, and other public places along coastal Tamil Nadu to provide better communication to these areas. They also announced the setting up of Airtel mobile and VSAT networks in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to ensure communication in the island.

The project will be completed by March 31.

World Vision has set up an emergency action group to work in the coastal areas. Around 12,000 people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, and Kerala will be provided with cooked food.

Over 35,000 families will be given seven-day ration packets that consist of 10 kg of rice, two kg lentils, one kg cooking oil, kitchen utensils and blankets.

Coca-Cola India has joined with the Red Cross for humanitarian work.

Samsung India Electronics has set up a relief camp in Pondicherry. The camp will provide food, clothes, and utensils to people rendered homeless by the tragedy.

Nightingales Medical Trust has sent a 14-member team of doctors and paramedical staff to Cuddalore to help in the rehabilitation effort. The Garden City College has sent a team of physiotherapists and nurses to Cuddalore and other coastal areas. The team is carrying Rs. 5 lakh worth of medicines with them.

Powergrid staff

Employees of Powergrid, a Government of India power company, have contributed a day's salary, amounting to Rs. 45 lakhs, towards relief measures for the people affected by the tsunami that struck on Sunday.

Besides, the company's employees' association and its Srishti Mahila Samithi in Bangalore, have pooled in an extra Rs. 1 lakh to buy essential items such as four tonnes of rice, 500 kg of `dal,' 120 bedsheets, 100 saris, 120 towels.

They have also collected pillow covers and used clothes — trousers, shirts, children's clothes and `dhotis.'

The clothes and other material were sent in a truck on Tuesday.

A note from Powergrid said that the company has set up a temporary kitchen at its substation at Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu) to distribute food packets to people living in nearby relief camps.

Appeal

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry has appealed to citizens and the business community in particular, to generously donate to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

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