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As we all know, the deadly Tsunami waves which hit our shores on 26th December, 2004 have now claimed over 11000 lives in India's Southeastern coast. Thousands are missing, many have lost their loved ones and many have become homeless. The glimpses that the television sets are showing today of the disaster hit zones are no different from what Kutch experienced four years back.  But with the support and helping hands from the world over, Kutch has been able to stand up once again. It is time now for all of us to stand by those who need our help, and support them in whatever ways we can...

An extensive fund raising campaign is being carried out by Abhiyan through its member organizations and associated NGOs.  An appeal has been made by Abhiyan to the people of Kutch to rise to the situation and pay back to their capacity for the communities which has suffered in the devastating Tsunami. 

The local NGOs active in the affected areas of Tamilnadu have requested Abhiyan, who has a recent  experience of coordinating the earthquake relief and rehabilitation activities, to come forward for support. Our Abhiyan team has already reached the badly hit Nagapattinum district of Tamilnadu State to assess the situation and understand their needs so as to plan out immediate and long term support system for relief and rehabilitation of the affected.

As per the first hand report from Nagapattinum, there is lack of coordination between the local NGOs and the district administration for immediate relief operations and damage assessment, resulting into duplication.  There is also a need to set up information management system to get the actual status of the situation in the affected areas so as to carry out need based action.

 Abhiyan has established contacts with a few local organizations including South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies(SIFFS) which is based in Nagapattinum district of Tamilnadu. This organization is working with fishermen community in the coastal belt of South India since last 20 years. 

Based on the primary assessment of Abhiyan and discussions with local government and non government agencies, the following activities are planned to be carried out immediately for short term and long term programmes:

• · Setting up of village level information centres (similar to the Setu centres in Kutch) in the 45 affected coastal villages of Nagapattinum which would act as a bridge between the affected communities, the Government and the local NGOs
• · Setting up of a district level coordination centre in Nagapattinum with database management and map generation facilities and also to collecively plan out rehabilitation activities keeping in mind the needs of the affected villages
• · To work for interim provision of housing to the affected families by supporting them in terms of material
• · To restore livelihoods of the affected fishermen community by involving them in repairing their damaged boats and other equipments, instead of providing cash doles
• · To facilitate permanent shelter reconstruction programme by providing design support for cyclone proof houses, in consultation with Auroville Pondicherry and Hunnarshaala, Bhuj (Foundation for Building Technology & Innovation promoted by Abhiyan).

The IT Secretary of Tamilnadu who is appointed by the State Government as the NGO coordinator for coordinating relief and rehabilitation efforts in the State, is aware of the work done by Abhiyan in Kutch post the earthquake and has requested Abhiyan to support them in setting up the required systems.

  To coordinate the Tsunami relief and rehabilitation activities, Abhiyan has setup one coordination centre in its campus in Bhuj and one base camp in Nagapattinum in SIFF campus.  

We appeal to all our partners, who have played a pivotal role in strengthening the communities of Kutch post the devastating earthquake, to join us once again with the same spirit, for the tsunami affected communities in South India.

You can send your contribution by Cheque/D.D. in favour of - 'Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan' on the following address:

Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan
Dr. Rajaram Campus,
Nr. St. Xavier's English Primary School,
Camp Area,
Bhuj - Kutch - 370001

The same can be transferred directly in the following bank accounts of Abhiyan :

• · ICICI(Bhuj Branch) Account No: 008601005468 (for all contributions in Indian Currency)
• · Punjab National Bank (Bhuj Branch) Account No.: 17446 (for all contributions in Foreign Currency)

The donation received will be exempted under section 80G of Income Tax Act.

 

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