Relief on a war-footing

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 26. The Union Cabinet held an emergency meeting this evening to take stock of the situation arising out of the earthquake in Gujarat earlier in the day and decided to launch relief on a war footing.

The Cabinet meeting, presided over by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, directed the armed forces, public sector undertakings and the different departments of the Central Government to render all assistance to the Gujarat Government.

On the request of the Cabinet, the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Mr. G.M.C. Balayogi, postponed the special meeting of MPs scheduled tomorrow to mark the conclusion of the 50th anniversary of the republic.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and spokesperson of the Cabinet, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, said top priority was being accorded to ensure adequate availability of food and medicines and restoration of the communication links.

In addition, efforts were on to rush tents and blankets in large quantities as temperatures in several parts of the affected areas were reported to be going down, to about seven to eight degrees celsius.The Army's help was being taken to mobilise tents and blankets.

Mr. Mahajan also said a 20-member team of specialists from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here and two battalions of Armed Forces from Pune left for Gujarat.

Fortunately, he said, the Army's hospital at Bhuj was intact and it was providing relief. Mr. Mahajan said though there had been aftershocks, 18 till evening, their intensity appeared to be going down.

The Cabinet adopted a resolution expressing a deep sense of grief at the heavy loss of life and the magnitude of destruction and observed two minutes silence.

Earlier, the Cabinet Secretary, Mr. T.R.Prasad, held a meeting of senior officials of various Ministries and of the Armed Forces to chalk out emergency relief measures. Mr. Prasad also spoke to Gujarat Chief Secretary to assess the relief requirements and asked Chief Secretaries of Rajasthan and Maharashtra to provide all assistance.

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