Kashmir Floods: An Appeal
By PIPFPD
16 September, 2014
Countercurrents.org
This is an appeal from the Pakistan India Peoples’ Forum for Peace & Democracy (PIPFPD), joined by many concerned people – doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, social workers, activists and students from across India and the affected areas of Jammu & Kashmir – in writing this appeal letter.
We have been watching with increasing concern and dismay the fast deteriorating situation in the ground – on both sides of the border, especially in the Kashmir valley and the hill terrains of Jammu region. While relief materials are being collected, distribution is too slow and inadequate. The death toll is rising. The spectre of epidemics looms large. Instances of the outbreak of some infections are being reported, pointing towards more disasters in the waiting. The carcasses of dead animals and no outlet for sewage in waterlogged areas is further compounding the situation.
We understand that the scale of devastation is unprecedented but we strongly believe that much more needs to be done, on an urgent basis. Towards this, PIPFPD’s has initiated a coordination effort between groups and individuals to help devastated people of J&K get additional support, rescue and relief. We are working in with young Kashmiri volunteers (http://jkfloodrelief.org/ and Kashmiri Volunteers in Delhi: Flood relief Facebook page), who are doing a fantastic job in rescue operations and ferrying relief materials. In this effort, we draw upon our collective experience of working in the region during the J&K earthquake of 2005.
a) Monetary contributions:
Cheques?Demand Drafts favouring ‘Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace & Democracy’, payable at Delhi can be sent: c/o F-10/12, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi – 110017.
Electronic Transfers can be made to:
SB Account Name: Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace & Democracy
Account No: 404285169
Bank Name: Indian Bank
Address: Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110 029
IFSC CODE: IDIB000S002
b) Materials: We need more life saving boats/rafts with relief materials, food, water, water filters, solar lights and medicines to the affected areas. If you can help with this, do contact us. Kindly keep in mind that packed food (including bread & jam) is best.
c) Medicines: first-aid/common medicines; allopathic or any other medical stream, with necessary instructions. Doctors are struggling to save people’s lives but facing acute shortage of medicines. So do help if you can.
d) Clothes (only new ones), blankets and Tarpaulins are the other major category of things required. We also require mosquito repellent creams, cooking and serving vessels and other such things to help people restart their lives.
e) Water Purifiers: One of the things required immediately are water purifiers .
We can organise or get help to reach your stuff free of cost from any airport in the country to Srinagar by air.
We appeal to all of you to do your best to save the lives, property and dignity of the people affected by the worst ever floods in living memory in Kashmir region.
Jatin Desai, General Secretary
Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal & Asha Hans, Co-Chairpersons
Contacts (Mobiles): 09419188389, 09869077718, 09582862682
Email:[email protected]
Appeal From National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Dear Friends,
You all must be aware of the disastrous flood in Jammu and Kashmir. Lakhs of people in the nook and corner of the state are facing devastation, impoverishment and till date are struck in the inaccessible areas without food and clothing. The army may be doing its work, no doubt, however we, the members of civil society, must reach out with all possible help at the earliest.
A group of highly committed youngsters from Yusuf Meherally Centre, including Jabbar Singh of Uttarakhand, who is also the state convener of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Uttarakhand. He along with other volunteers have reached certain areas which are worst affected near Rajouri township, only to find that no one, not even a Patwari, has reached to them. This team had no other way but to organize the affected people who went on Satyagraha in front of the Commissioner's office on 13th of September with a few hundreds participant, suffering yet struggling for life support. They made the administration take an initiative in providing relief. However, the team reports that everything is lacking and basic material needs are far from fulfilled. A report of work being carried out by them in the affected areas is attached herewith. (Jabbar Singh can be reached on +91 9769041890)
Furthermore, another team has been sent to the affected areas of the Jammu and Kashmir to carry out relief work and Faisal Khan from Khudai Khidmatgar, who is also the state convener of Haryana-Delhi NAPM, is coordinating from Delhi. (Faisal Khan can be contacted at +91 9968828230)
It is with their earnest appeal and confidence that they could help the people in the interior that we herewith appeal to you to come forward and provide anything of the following relief for the people of Jammu and Kashmir:
1. Blankets and Bed sheet
2. Clothes for children and women- either new or in good condition
3. Warm/ woollen clothes
4. Plastic sheets
5. Basic medicines (most important)
6. Water (most important)
7. Torches and lanterns
Do contribute generously, organise collection drives in your own areas, contact us with details of material help and also if you decide to extend financial support.
For sending your contribution, please refer to details given below:
1.The relief material can be sent to:
Study Point,
84 D, Tikona Park,
Jamia Nagar, Okhla,
New Delhi-25
Contact: +91 9871700595
Khudai Khidmatgar team has also set up several spots for collecting relief material in different parts of the country, please find the nearest spot by calling on the given phone numbers:
Tabish Bhatti: +91 9871700595
Arish: +91 9555999150
2. If you wish to make financial contribution, you can do so by transferring the amount in the given dedicated relief account of the Yusuf Meherally Center.
Bank Name: The Shamrao Vithal CO-OP Bank LTD.
For rest of the transferring details kindly contact:
Manohar More: +91 9869162358; all the details of the amount utilised can be availed on request by Manohar More Ji.
Or
Second option to send money is by sending a cheque in the name of the Narmada Nav Nirman Abhiyan with a separate letter specifying therein the purpose it is being sent for. Do specify in the letter your:
i. Name
ii. Address
iii. PAN card number
iv. Contact Number
v. Email address
This account is auditable and details of the amount utilised can be availed on request. The cheques must come on the address given below:
Vijaya Chauhan
84, Olympus, MM Chotani Marg,
Mahim, Mumbai- 400016
Contact: +91 9820236267
(Note: 80 G facility available in both the above mentioned accounts).
In case of any difficulty in sending relief material or if you have other queries, please feel free to contact:
+91 9479969200, +91 9818823252 (Kanika)
+91 9958660556 (Bilal)
In Solidarity,
Medha Patkar - Narmada Bachao Andolan - NAPM; Prafulla Samantara, Lok Shakti Abhiyan, Lingraj Azad - Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti and Samajwadi Jan Parishad, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava - Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, MP; Gautam Bandopadhyay – Nadi Ghati Morcha, NAPM, Chhattisgarh; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe - NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriele Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala; Saraswati Kavula, P Chennaiah – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Bhupender Singh Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini, Rajendra Ravi, Sunita Rani, Seela M, Madhuresh Kumar, Kanika Sharma – NAPM, Delhi; Faisal Khan- Khudai Khidmatgar NAPM Delhi/Haryana; Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia - Domestic Workers Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Sumit Wanjale – Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao Andolan, NAPM, Mumbai; Manish Gupta - Jan Kalyan Upbhokta Samiti, NAPM, UP; Vimal Bhai - Matu Jan sangathan, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Vilas Bhongade - Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, Maharashtra; Ramashray Singh - Ghatwar Adivasi Mahasabha, Jharkhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant - Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, NAPM Bihar; Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar
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