Date:07/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/07/stories/2005010704151200.htm

National

Somnath contributes Rs. 11 lakhs for relief work

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 6. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, has contributed Rs. 11 lakhs from his MP Land Area Development funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in the tsunami-affected regions. Mr. Chatterjee donated his one month's salary and allowances of December 2004.

Mr. Chatterjee and the Rajya Sabha chairman, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, have issued a joint appeal to all MPs to donate Rs. 11 lakhs each from the MPLAD funds and a month's salary towards relief and rehabilitation.

The Parliamentary Cricket Team have also contributed Rs. 30 lakhs towards the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. The Rajya Sabha member, Vijay Mallya, has made the largest contribution of Rs. 10 lakhs from the team, captained by Arun Jaitley.

The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is setting up a helpline for children in distress at Nagapattinam, Salem and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and one in Pondicherry.

The existing helpline in Chennai is also being strengthened. The Ministry has also allowed `Prayas' — a non-governmental organisation — to explore the possibility of setting up Child Helpline and Crisis Intervention Programme at Port Blair. Prayas is one of the childline partners of the Ministry under the street childline programme. The child helpline, a toll free telephone service available round-the-clock will respond to the emergency needs of the children in difficult situations and refer them to the services, they may be in need of.

On the other hand, the Confederation of Indian Industry is mobilising necessary goods for the tsunami victims as part of its rehabilitation programme. Supplementing Central and State Government efforts, the CII is organising electricity and water supply, warehousing facilities, transport, logistics and communications in the worst-hit areas.

The confederation has set up centres across the country to raise funds as well as collect material.

Donations from U.S.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin has contributed Rs. 25 lakhs to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund and promised to adopt some villages affected by the tsunami.

A delegation, led by the association president, Jagan Ailinani, met the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, here today and presented a cheque to him. The delegation comprised the Member of Parliament, B. Vinod Kumar, and several other members of the association.