At 11:15 am on the morning of Sept.5, from Secretariat Dehradun the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Mr. Vijay Bahuguna will flag off a massive convoy of 18 trucks carrying 90.2 tonnes of HelpAge India Winter Relief material for the survivors of Uttarakhand flash floods along with flagging off 2 Mobile Medical Units, donated by SJVN Foundation.
Each winter relief package will consist of Food & Clothing to help them fight the harsh winters.
The Food package will consist of: lentils and food items that help them keep their body warm. It will consist of: Manduratta, Wheat Flour, Rice, Kulath Dal, Bhatt Lentil, Sugar, Salt, Mustard Oil, Tea Leaves, Mixed Spices, Toiletries, Match Boxes, while the Clothing package will consist of: Blankets, Shawls, Sweaters, Woollen Socks, along with a Solar Lamp.
One of the worst affected districts of Uttarakhand, Rudraprayag is still struggling to survive. HelpAge will be focusing on the Kedar Ghat area of this district in its Winter Relief phase.
The convoy will head towards Guptakashi town which will serve as a base, the winter relief packages will be distributed across 20 of the worst affected villages of the Kedar Ghati area reaching 2200 families. The 3 key distribution points which will be Byung village, Phata village & Nyalsu village. Distribution will also be done on foot by the HelpAge team where accessibility for villagers is a major problem.
Many of the villagers who were working in Kedarnath, were killed in the deluge of the swirling waters leaving behind are widows and children with no support. Villages and hamlets dotting the slopes are still coming to terms with the immense scale of tragedy that struck them.
With each passing day winter is slowly setting in, nudging way the monsoon season. Winters here are hard and merciless, with the mercury dipping to below freezing point, at times touching -20 degrees.
“The aim is to reach the unreached. In fact we will be sending relief material upto the last village situated in Kedar Ghati called Tausi, which is completely non-motorable and one has to trek 6 kms on foot to reach it. Villages such as these did not receive any aid since the disaster and with the oncoming winters the condition of the people is likely to get worse“, says Avenash Datta, Country Head Programmes, HelpAge India.
To ensure that the relief reaches those that need it most, each beneficiary family has been identified and given a ID token.
Corporates like HDFC bank have majorly supported the winter relief package by donating much needed Solar lamps, which will not only bring light into the lives of these families, but also be the means for communication by serving as a charging unit for cell phones and other communication devices. ” “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones and their homes due to the tragedy in Uttarakhand. The distribution of about 2500 solar lanterns through Helpage India, we hope will enable the villagers to take one small step towards re-building their lives,” said Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head – CSR at HDFC Bank
“Its been 3 months since the disaster and Uttarakhand is still struggling to stand on its feet, in fact the need to help the people simply survive is the most urgent now. Our teams have been working day in and day out trying to help in any which way they can, whether medically or through ration distribution and in many cases just lending a ear to listen to the survivors heart rending stories of the horror they witnessed. The winter is going to be tough but we won’t let it beat us down“, says Dr. Aapga, Head of Uttarakhand Relief Operations, in the state.
About HelpAge India
HelpAge India is a leading charitable organization working with and for older people in India for the past 35 years. It runs age care programmes throughout the country & advocates strongly for the cause of the elderly and fights for their rights. It also advises & facilitates the Government in formation of policy related to the elderly.
For any queries you can call:
Dr. Aapga, Head Uttarakhand Relief Operations – 09415010644 (Dehradun)