Relief material for quake-hit Gujarat

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JAN. 27. The Andhra Pradesh Government has despatched 5000 tonnes of ready-to-eat food, 5000 units of woolen blanket, one ton of medicines and drugs and ten tonnes of groundnut oil as the first instalment of relief material to the cyclone-hit people of Gujarat.

A chartered plane carrying the relief material and a team of officials and non-officials led by the Relief Commissioner, Mr. D. C. Rosaiah, and a local Gujaratee Samaj representative left for Ahmedabad late on Saturday night.

The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is on a visit to Davos, is constantly in touch with the Chief Secretary, Mr. P. V. Rao, and other officials giving the necessary instructions on arranging relief to the Gujarat administration.

The Chief Secretary told presspersons that a team of doctors and communication experts had also been sent to Gujarat. Another 15 tonnes of food, five tonnes of blankets, ten tonnes of groundnut and five tonnes of medicine was kept ready. By the Sharjah flight, five tonnes of foodstuff (boondi) is being sent to Ahmedabad.

About 250 tonnes of rice would be transported to Ahmedabad tomorrow by road. As many as 50 medical teams have been lined up to be rushed as and when they are requisitioned by the Gujarat administration.

Mr. Rao said State Government officials had established contact with the Gujarat administration to find out their specific needs. An Airbus is kept standby and the Indian Air Force had been alerted to provided the necessary aircraft for transporting the relief. A control room has been opened in the Secretariat.

The Chief Minister, before leaving for Davos, announced a relief assistance of Rs. 5 crores to the Gujarat administration from the State Government. There was a request for gas cutting machines which were, however, not available in the State. The railway authorities are being contacted.

Answering questions, Mr. Rao said the State Government was fully equipped to face any eventuality. He said the Government could not gather information about the Telugu-speaking groups in the quake-affected areas as the communication lines were busy. Donors can send their contributions to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund in the form of DD/cheques.

The Chief Secretary in a separate statement urged people to send in donations to assist the quake-affected people of Gujarat. Blankets, medicines and money could be sent to Relief Commissioner's Control Room, Secretariat. It would work round the clock. Phone Nos. are 3456005, 3459042, 3459043 and 3452044 (fax).

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Section  : Southern States
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