Apart from clothes, blankets and 20 tonnes of packed food, a team of 25 doctors, 25 paramedical staff and volunteers, five ambulances and two tonnes of medicine were dispatched to the tragedy-struck state on Saturday
The sight of wreckage caused by flash floods in Uttarakhand, and the agonising tales of survivors moved the conscience of the entire nation, following which help started pouring in from all quarters. As the country got together to rally round the tragedy-struck state, an NGO from the city too has lent a helping hand to the survivors of the catastrophe.
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Red Crescent Society of India (RCSI) sent a team of 25 doctors, 25 paramedical staff and volunteers, along with five ambulances and two tonnes of medicine worth Rs 10 lakh to the state. The team includes gynecologists, psychiatrists, trauma specialists and surgeons. “Our team and the medicines will reach Uttarakhand on July 1. Besides this, we’ll send 20 tonnes of packed food, 4,000 blankets and 5,000 saris with stitched blouses to distribute among the flood victims,” said Arshad Siddiqui, RCSI chairman.
Dr Abhay Kumar, state’s programme manager of health and family welfare, had provided a list of medicines that will be flown to Dehradun. On July 29, Public Works Department minister Chhagan Bhujbal will hand over the relief material to Air India that will carry the goods for free.
“We’ll set up our camps at Poudi and Pithordhra, and have asked the state government to provide us a suitable location from where we can help as many villagers as possible,” said Siddiqui, adding that the organisation has even asked the local administration to provide them a guide or two who can help them reach the maximum number of people in the tragedy-struck areas.
He added that the team would initially camp there for a fortnight and extend the stay if needed. “Our organisation has a track record of providing help to several states during natural calamities like tsunami and earthquake,” he said.
Want to volunteer?
Doctors who are interested in joining this camp can get in touch on rcsimumbai@gmail.com.u00a0The organisation will make arrangements for their travel from Mumbai to Dehradun by train and then onwards by road transport. Accommodation will also be arranged by the NGO