State-wide mobilisation of relief

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Non- Government Organisations, political parties, institutions and individuals all over the State have launched an intensive drive to mobilise all possible help and relief for the Gujarat quake victims.

They have started sending the relief materials, medical teams, medicines and even ready-to-eat food to various parts of Gujarat by air, rail and road.

The Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu Branch, today dispatched a consignment of relief materials by air. All the materials collected from the people and sent by other organisations to the Red Cross were packed together and sent through the Indian Airlines.

The Rajasthan Cosmo Club and Rajasthan Youth Association has sent seven tonnes of food grains, clothes, bed sheets, rugs and other materials by two lorries. The lorries were flagged off by the Mayor, Mr. M.K. Stalin, at Rippon Buildings.

Children adoption

In a different gesture, the Sivananda Orphanage, Kattankolathur, has offered to adopt 50 children from the affected areas in Gujarat. In a telegram to the Chief Minister, the organisation's Correspondent, Dr. S. Rajaram, said ``We are prepared to adopt 50 orphan children. Please inform us how to take the children.''

The Nehru Yuva Kendra, which is part of the Centre's Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, has appealed to the people to hand over medicines, milk powder, biscuits, woolen blankets, shawls, bed sheets, clothes and contributions to its various offices in Chennai (Tel: 4912634, 4465129), to be forwarded to Gujarat.

The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam has sent Rs. one lakh to the Gujarat Relief Fund. Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi told reporters in Ramanathapuram that a medical team along with `Jana Kalyan' volunteers would also leave for Gujarat to render medical service to the quake victims.

In a statement after the Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council meeting in Tiruchi, its spokesperson, Fr. Vincent Chinnadurai, said a special collection drive had been launched in all the churches and the relief materials would be sent to Gujarat soon.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Tamil Nadu, today dispatched Rs. 20 lakh worth relief materials and a team of doctors to serve the quake victims. Its Pondicherry unit raised Rs. one lakh to the relief fund and a load of biscuits worth about Rs. 25,000.

The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam has offered to send 1,000 volunteers for relief work and to donate blood to the victims. It has written to the Gujarat Chief Minister and is awaiting a response.

Led by former TNCC(I) presidents, Mr. K. Ramamurthy, and Mr. K.V. Thangabalu, party volunteers went round George Town this morning collecting contributions for the relief fund.

The branch offices of the Indian Medical Association have appealed to doctors, especially orthopaedic surgeons, to volunteer their services in the special medical camps set up in various quake-affected parts of Gujarat.

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