Ladhakh Flash floods - RSS relief updates and appeal

Ladhakh Flash floods - RSS relief updates and appeal

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 12:18 PM PDT

Ladhakh Aapdha Sahayata Samiti (LASS) appeals the people to donate for Leh victims.

Hundreds of people killed and thousands are missing and numerous injured in worst ever cloud burst and flash floods in Leh which caused unprecedented destruction in the entire district in general and Leh town in particular. In adverse conditions, Volunteers of Sewa Bharati and RSS have started all-out rescue and relief operations.
Before the people and administration could wake up to the prevailing situation, the natural calamity had caused unprecedented damages everywhere. The district hospital was flooded, bus stands flattened and vehicles were seen floating in the heart of town. The communication equipment of BSNL got completely damaged in the flash floods thereby tying the hands of the administration in starting early relief and rescue operations as damage to the telephone exchange rendered all the mobiles and landline phones useless.
Flooded hospitals, flattened bus stands, washed away houses and floating cars amidst echo of wailing people were all that was left after the flash floods. What to talk of road connectivity with Kargil, the road link of Leh town with adjoining villages got completely snapped as numerous culverts and bridges got washed away in the floods.
The update on RSS and seva bharati relief work
Meanwhile RSS training camp (ITC) was under way near Leh when this disaster struck. Suspending the Camp activity, all Swayamseveks immediately rushed at the catastrophe site and started rescue and relief operations immediately. In the meantime the Sewa Bharti J&K through its unit in Leh in cooperation with Ladakh Singhay Chospa has already established a relief operation camp in Leh and is looking after the needs of the affected people.
In Jammu, Sewa Bharati Jammu and Kashmir organised an emergency meeting in which social workers of many organizations attended the meeting to chalk out the strategy to provide immediate relief to the victims of Natural Disaster in Leh. All members paid homage to those who died in this disaster and formed a trust under the Name Ladhak Aapdha Sahayata Samiti to assist the victims and affected families in Leh. Brig. (Retd.) Suchet Singh has been unanimously elected President of this trust. Dr. Kuldeep Gupta will work as secretary and Sh. Abay Pargal will be the treasure of this trust.
As an immediate measure, some cash donations were immediately transferred from Jammu to the group of Swayamsevaks working in Leh. They have purchased whatever relief material they can get form nearby local markets and started distributing them. According to latest report, a relief package of 2000 blankets, a set of utensils for 500 families, 2000 clothes and 500 shoes is on the way and will reach the calamity site any time today. Some injured from Leh who have now arrived at Jammu are also being contacted by Seva Bharati workers to provide them necessary help.