Donations continue to pour in

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 31. Donations and relief materials continued to pour in today with the European Union pooling in 38 million Euros (Rs. 160 crores) while Oman, which was the first to send a consignment of aid, sent two more by chartered flights. Bhutan has also contributed Bhutanese currency 20 million to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Japan has sent emergency grant aid of $700,000 apart from two consignments of relief materials. These comprise emergency rehabilitation goods along with consignment of health kits that reached yesterday, bringing material assistance to Rs. 1.14 crores. Denmark has granted assistance amounting to $1.8 million including a complete mobile medical unit, donations to the Red Cross, Lutheran World Federation and the U.N. Italy has committed to $2.8 million and is sending a team of experts along with the World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP is organising emergency airlifts of essential items such as health kits, blankets, and generators on behalf of the U.N. Humanitarian Response, OCHA, WHO and the Italian Government. The first flight was to have landed today at Bhuj and a second flight is due to arrive on Friday with tents and blankets.

Turkey has sent additional relief material to Bhuj consisting of tents, blankets as well as medicine and medical equipment. This is in apart from its 35-member search and rescue team already working in Bhuj. The U.S. auto giant, General Motors, has contributed $100,000 to the relief efforts. It will use one of its latest Internet sites, GM Global Aid to provide up to the minute news and information on the relief efforts.

Vladimir Radyuhin reports from Moscow:

The Russian flagship airline Aeroflot will start flying relief supplies from Europe to Gujarat in February. The planes will operate from the airfield in Bhuj, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. The Aeroflot representative in Mumbai, Mr. Igor Ivlev, told RIA Novosti that the Indian authorities had agreed to charge no money for servicing Aeroflot planes carrying relief aid and to provide them with fuel at IAF reduced rates.

Amit Baruah reports from Singapore:

A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 transport plane took off from the Paya Lebar base this morning for Bhuj carrying $50,000 worth of modular tents, ground sheets and blankets for the quake victims in Gujarat.

Talking to presspersons, Major P. Ramachandra, RSAF officer in- charge of the relief mission, said the aircraft would be flying to Bhuj via Ahmedabad.

U.S. resolution on quake

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, JAN. 31. A bi-partisan, bi-cameral resolution on the earthquake in India is being taken up in the House of Representatives and the Senate today. The non-binding resolution is intended to recognise the earthquake's enormity and express sympathy for the victims and support for additional American and international assistance to India.

The sponsors of the resolution in the House are Mr. Jim McDermott, Mr. Edward Royce and Mr. Robert Menendez; and in the Senate are the Democratic Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Robert Torricelli and the Republican from Kansas, Mr. Sam Brownback. ``As with the recent tragedy in El Salvador, we must join efforts again to provide immediate assistance to the Indian Government, victims' families and thousands of survivors,'' Mr. Menendez said in a statement.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the executive agent for all Department of Defence Humanitarian Affairs, has announced that it was sending over US $ 1.5 millions in vital equipment to the disaster relief by military airlift. The equipment is being provided to India at no cost.

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