Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy

[pipfpd@...]

Sub: Appeal for support - relief and
rehabilitation for victims of earthquake in Jammu
and Kashmir

Dear colleagues and friends,

You are aware of the severe earth quake that
caused devastation in Uri and Baramullah in J&K
and in Muzzafarabad, Punch, Rawalkot, Gilgit,
Baltistan and other parts of the North West
Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan. On the
Indian side of the LoC, as per reports, nearly
fifty thousand people have become homeless. As
per official reports more than a 1000 persons
have lost their lives. According to local people,
the death toll is much higher. Dr. Syeda Hameed
and Tapan Bose visited Baramullah and parts of
Uri, immediately after this devastating
earthquake. The team was able to go upto
Salamabad, about 8 kms from the Aman Setu on the
LoC. They found that the earthquake has destroyed
almost all buildings on the road side, as well as
on the hills along both sides of the Jhelum
river. In many places the road has been
severely damaged by landslides. The road has also
developed cracks and parts of it has fallen into
the riverbed far below. Several vehicles were
crushed by heavy boulders still lying on the
road. As the homes were built with local stones
and mud, the earthquake has shattered these
structures. Even those which have not fallen are
completely unsafe as they have developed cracks
with the mud falling off the stones leaving these
unsupported. These damaged houses will have to be
demolished and reconstructed. School buildings,
health centers, government offices, army
barracks, bazaars, everything seems to have been
destroyed.

During the visit the team also saw thousands of
people; young children, women, old and the middle
aged - all camping in the open on the road side.
The weather has already turned cold, night
temperatures going down to almost 3-4 degree
Celsius. These people have no shelter. The
children and others have very little protective
clothing. While the army, BSF and local NGOs
were distributing food and blankets, it was
evident that the need was much more than what was
available. It seems that the government of the
State of J&K has not yet got its emergency relief
machinery together. The Commissioner of
Baramullah confirmed this impression. He has
communicated to Tapan Bose that there is urgent
need for about forty thousand tarpaulins, heavy
plastic/PVC sheets and about 2,50,000 blankets.
In addition, the people also need warm clothing
like sweaters and shawls. These items are
urgently needed as people have no shelter and the
weather has already turned bitter. Those who have
survived the earthquake might succumb to the
severe winter of Kashmir.

In addition there is also urgent need for medial
supplies as well as doctors. The medial supplies
required are:

1) Paracetamol 2) Dispirin
3) Different types of antibiotics

4) Anti dysentery drugs 5) Pain killers
6) Dextrose and Saline drips

PIPFPD has taken up the relief and rehabilitation
work on both sides of the border. While Pakistan
National Chapter is mobilizing resources and
volunteers for relief in Muzzaffarabad and other
places, the Indian chapter has the responsibility
of doing similar work on the Indian side of the
LoC. We request all of you to kindly respond
generously to this appeal immediately.

All contributions should be sent to either
'Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and
Democracy' or to 'Kashmir Earthquake Relief and
Rehabilitation Fund', to the following address:

A-1/125 (first floor)
Safdarjung Enclave
New Delhi 110 029
Tel: 91-11-51652451/51652452

If you are sending your contributions to the
general account, please mention clearly that this
is a contribution for relief for earthquake
victims in J&K. If any of you would like that
part of your contribution be sent or used by
Pakistan chapter, please mention so. We will make
part of your contribution available to the
Pakistan National Chapter of PIPFPD.

Contributions in kind are also welcome (if those
can be reached to us before the 25th of October).
If you are able to collect medicine, blankets,
woolen cloth and tarpaulin, please immediately
inform us by telephone or e-mail, we will arrange
to get these collected and transported. We will
also need skilled volunteers, who can go to
Kashmir on their own and help in the relief and
rehabilitation work. Please note people with
experience in earthquake relief particularly in
hill areas and medical practitioners are needed.

PIPFPD is in the process of setting up an
information center in Delhi as well as
information and logistic support center in
Srinagar. All information collected from J&K as
well as from Pakistan will be collated at these
two places. Anyone who can contribute information
and technical knowledge about reconstruction of
houses in earthquake prone areas should send
their information to PIPFPD on the-mail address:
pipfpd@...

We request you once again to respond to this
appeal immediately. Men, women and children
severely traumatized by this natural disaster are
spending their days and nights in the open under
most severe weather conditions. They need your
help, now.

Looking forward to your immediate response.

Yours sincerely,

Tapan K. Bose
General Secretary
N.B: *Contributions made to PIPFPD are exempted under
80-G of the IT
Act







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