Outlook India: APPEAL FOR HIMALAYAN TSUNAMI

16, 17 June 2013 was black day for Uttarakhand as a natural disaster of immense magnitude took place due to cloudbursts and record heavy rainfall. Eighty year’s record has been broken in Dehradun. There has been huge loss of humans and livestock which is difficult to evaluate.

The terrifying effect of disaster is continuously broadcast by the media. Thousands of pilgrims are missing, many of them are dead. Their vehicles and all other belongings have been washed away. Many villages and small towns of Uttarakhand have been badly affected or drowned deep into the river , many buildings have been destroyed and thousands of hectares of agricultural land has been lost beyond cultivability.

Survey of 19 affected developed blocks is just completed with the help of volunteers and technical people and is being analysed .Due to lack of roads it is very difficult to work. The meeting of all volunteers and survey staff was conducted on 18, 19 and 20 July by the committee members of the samiti along with honorable SARKARYWAH BHAIYA JI JOSHI to finalize the action to be taken regarding the loss of men, material and livestock.

This disaster was more vulnerable than earthquake of 1991 in Uttarkashi .The damage in the border areas was unimaginable due to Himalayan Tsunami. The floods came simultaneously in all the 5 major rivers of Uttarakhand and their tributaries.

From the very next day i.e. 17^th June, 2013 our workers were engrossed in the relief work in Bhagirathi Valley near Maneri dam, an alternate base camp set up by our samiti from the same evening. Arrangement of food and shelter was made in the school and hostels and given to almost 3000 pilgrims daily who were coming back from Gangotri, for twelve days. From 1^st July, fifteen days arrangement was made in which more than ten thousand pilgrims stayed in camp and above eight thousand pilgrims have taken food.

Pilgrims were taken out safely from unhabitable mountain and jungle areas, unwell people were helped and Indian Army was also helped in taking pilgrims out by our workers, in Bhagirathi Valley from Harsil to Rishikesh and in Kedar Valley from Guptkashi to Haridwar and upto Kotdwar. Food and medical stalls had been set up at different places at Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar and kotdwar. Forward relief camps were set up at Maneri, Kamleshwar, Naitwar, Chilyalisaur, Narayankoti and Guptakashi for the pilgrims. In Harsil people belonging to bhotiya caste helped army persons and travellers with ration though they themselves were in deep trouble. The principal and other staff of SARASWATI SHISHU MANDIRS AND VIDYA MANDIRS helped in this work. The Indian Army was also impressed by their devotion and zeal. A.M.C COLONEL, DOCTOR ARUN SEN said –“The service which you are providing is priceless”. Local people made cooking arrangement of food, services and security to the thousands of tourists landed at Chinyalisaur airport. Shri Nathilal Bangwal, Principal of Saraswati Vidya Mandir encouraged the locals for helping the victims and worked 24X7.

Immediately after the disaster in the whole state, the centre for information and 15 centres for assistance and contact were established through the medium of which diverse information were provided to the whole country and is still being provided.

Till date (20.6.2013), 165 trucks carrying necessities have been sent to Kedar valley, Bhagirathi valley, Tons valley and other areas requiring immediate assistance .Relief material for this work is being received from all over the country. The material for relief reached Dehradun headquarters from various states in proximity like Delhi, U.P., Punjab, Haryana, Himanchal and Rajasthan etc. The workers put the food materials in packets and supplied the same to the village areas after walking 18 to 20 Kms in hilly terrain, which were difficult to reach and the assistance of the administration did not reach till now. The supply has been given to 1322 families of 14 villages. At present two base relief centres are active, one of which is Seva ashram,Maneri, Uttarakashi on Gangotri Marg and Narayan Koti (Guptkashi) on Kedarnath. For such a big arrangement, 5000 workers are working day and night for over a month.

Seva ashram,Maneri which is the project head quarter of the samiti , has been executing program from various dimensions for the upliftment of the local villagers by medium of 32 one Teacher schools(EKAL VIDYALAYAS) in the upper Bhagirathi valley, since the time of earthquake in 1991.Pilgrims, sages and saints who walk up to Gangotri and Gaumukh are provided with the facility of food and residence here. This association has played major role in the awakening of the area. There is also a student hostel and junior school of high standard running. 72 students from the villages within the peripheral of 200kms live and study there.

Because of this natural calamity, Seva ashram has been adversely affected to a great extent. 12 rooms of the hostel building, 2 visitors rooms, kitchen, toilets and the store etc. got submerged in the Bhagirathi and a big piece of land together with the playground was washed away. The insecurity of this area has been continuing from the past years due to floods. This has resulted in a loss of approximate Rs. 1.5 Crores. The building towards the river is in danger and is unsafe. This important centre carrying out social activities for past 20 years requires a policy and the arrangement from the beginning by reconstruction near the highway for which additional land needs to be purchased.

It is a big challenge to rehabilitate the villages which have sustained heavy damages, where the crops are washed away and, the people rendered homeless. The Government assistance falls much short of requirement. Since 1991, regarding disaster the society has got only disappointment from the Government. Therefore for rehabilitation huge monetary assistance is required. In the near future, the disaster may increase as this is only the beginning of the monsoon season. It is anticipated that the routes may get even more damaged. To attain objective of rehabilitation and to serve this purpose more donations must be collected country wide.

“Uttaranchal Daivi Apada Peedit Sahayata Samiti” has created a corpus fund to provide services in remote affected areas on a continous basis and not remain dependent on the vagaries of annual uncommitted donations. The Samiti is registered under Societies Registration Act, Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and Income Tax Act and also has exemption under section 80G of Income Tax Act 1961.The monetary help provided will strengthen the relief work being carried out by the samiti on a permanent basis.

Please send your cheques, drafts etc in the name of “Uttaranchal Daivi Apada Peedit Sahayat Samiti” at the head office, 10 Convent Road, Dehradun Uk 248001. The account number of the samiti is 31156574681, IFSC code SBIN0000630 is at the main branch of State Bank of India in Dehradun.

If you want to deposit the amount directly in the bank account then mention the date, PAN No. and address of the depositor and intimate by email. Form of corpus donation letter is enclosed.

RSVP :

NEERAJ KUMAR MITTAL TREASURER 9411189598		DINESH GUPTA PRESIDENT 9837021837
NARESH BANSAL GENERAL SECRETARY 9412054565		VIJAY SNEHI SECRETARY 9412050523
PREM BADAKOTI ORG.SECRETARY 9456712300