Date:02/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/02/stories/2005010203800500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

SFI plea for aid

By Our Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM, JAN. 1. The Students Federation of India (SFI) has expressed grief over disaster struck by tsunami in India and abroad and gave a call for mass collection of funds all over the country on Tuesday

and Wednesday for relief work.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Saturday, the SFI national general secretary, Kallol Roy, said that in the meantime, the SFI could mobilise about Rs. 1 lakh to assist the victims.

``Two teams---one each from Kerala and West Bengal with about 40 doctors and nurses---are already at work. The team from Kerala is serving the Nagapattinam victims in Tamil Nadu and the Bengal unit has gone to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to work there," he disclosed, adding that once additional funds were available after the collection drive, relief work could be stepped up.

Reviewing the activities of the SFI in the just concluded 2004, Mr. Roy said that most of its agitations were successful, in particular the dislodging of the National Democratic Alliance Government.

The new United Progressive Alliance regime at the Centre was positive in its approach which was particularly witnessed during the SFI March to Parliament House on December 2 to press for a Central legislation empowering the States to control fee structure and admission processes.

``We gave up our proposed 48-hour hunger strike after the Union Minister for HRD, Arjun Singh, assured us of positive action.

He proposes to come up with it at the State Education Ministers Conference to be held in Bangalore on January 10 and 11, he said.