FIRE RELIEF:
Odisha: In the wake of an accidental fire our Bhubaneshwar centre distributed 100 saris, 100 lungis, 50 sataranchis (quilts), 50 bed-sheets, 100 towels, 50 torch lights, 50 umbrellas and 50 utensil sets (each set containing 2 vessels, 2 buckets, a kadahi, a jug, a mug, a pot, 2 plates, 2 tumblers, 2 bowls, 2 ladles, a khadika and a spoon) among 50 affected families in Gadadharpur village in Cuttack district from 1 to 4 June.
West Bengal: Malda centre distributed 5000 kg rice, 750 kg dal (lentils), 500 kg sugar, 250 kg salt, 625 litres of edible oil, 125 saris, 125 lungis and 125 utensil sets (each set containing a plate, a bowl and a tumbler) among 125 families affected by an accidental fire in 2 villages in Malda district from 1 to 28 May.
FLOOD RELIEF:
Assam: From 30 May to 8 June, Karimganj centre distributed 1100 kg rice, 210 kg dal (lentils), 200 packets of biscuits, 100 kg salt, 300 kg potato and 1.05 lakh halogen tablets among 810 flood-affected families in 11 villages of Karimganj district.
Jammu and Kashmir: In the aftermath of a flash flood which affected 15 villages in Kund area in Ramban and Udhampur districts, Jammu centre distributed 1500 kg atta (flour), 600 kg dal (lentils), 600 kg sugar, 600 kg edible oil and 300 utensil sets [each set containing a vessel, a kadahi, a tawa (griddle), 2 ladles and 3 plates] among 300 affected families on 27 May.
STORM RELIEF:
West Bengal: In the wake of a severe storm, Ramharipur centre distributed 186 asbestos sheets, 155 tin sheets, 60 tin matkas, 4000 roof tiles, 500 tile matkas, 33 polythene sheets and 26 kahans of hay among 58 affected families in 14 villages of Bankura district from 12 to 18 June.
FLOOD REHABILITATION:
Tamil Nadu:
(i) On 14 April, Chennai Math handed over 22 low-cost houses to 22 poor fishermen families who had lost their shanties in the recent flood in Pattinapakkam area in Chennai. Chennai Math also handed over the newly built ‘Swami Vivekananda Community Hall and Educational Centre’ and 60 newly constructed low-cost houses to 60 poor flood-affected families of Meliruppu Panchayat area in Cuddalore district on 28 June. The houses and the community hall were handed over by the General Secretary in the presence of Swami Gautamanandaji. The beneficiary families were also provided 60 stoves and LPG cylinders on this occasion.
(ii) The handing over ceremony of 19 new low-cost houses and 13 additional toilet units constructed by Chennai Students’ Home for poor Irula tribals in Thathaimanji village in Ponneri taluk of Thiruvallur district took place on 6 April. On this occasion 31 cots, and a similar quantity of racks, blankets, stoves and utensil sets (each set containing 2 vessels with lids, 2 spoons, 4 plates and 4 tumblers) were distributed among 31 poor families.
On 29 June, the General Secretary laid the foundation stone of the ‘Sister Nivedita Community Hall’ being constructed here. This settlement of Irula tribals has been renamed as ‘Vivekanandapuram’. The centre is also taking steps towards extending this rehabilitation project by constructing 76 similar low-cost houses for poor flood-affected Irula tribal families in 3 more villages in Thiruvallur district.
(iii) Coimbatore Math distributed various construction materials to 8 families of Vangivakkam village in Thiruvallur district from 1 to 29 March under ‘Build Your Own House’ scheme.
DROUGHT RELIEF and REHABILITATION:
Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana: Insufficient rainfall and searing heatwave has caused an acute drought situation in some parts of the country.
To ensure a permanent solution to water crisis problem, Pune centre has undertaken a ‘Water Conservation Project’ by excavating the river Kanadi at Shiur village in Ahmednagar district. Inaugurated on 14.05.2016, the project will involve providing compartment bunds on the river while excavating the riverbed based on Shirpur pattern. Work is continuing in full flow and is expected to be completed soon.
Our Belagavi centre distributed 60.72 lakh litres of drinking water among 77,200 people belonging to 16 villages in Athani and Baihongal taluks of Belagavi district from 10 April to 15 June. Our Pune centre distributed 34.20 lakh litres of drinking water among 9000 people in 3 villages of Khatav taluk in Satara district from 8 April to 5 June and 31.18 lakh litres of drinking water among 8695 people in 4 villages of Ahmednagar district from 6 May to 25 June. Our Aurangabad centre distributed 40.65 lakh litres of drinking water among 25,810 people in 26 villages of Aurangabad district from 1 May to 14 June. Our Hyderabad centre distributed 6800 litres of drinking water among 508 families in Adalpur village in Ranga Reddy district from 28 April to 10 May and from 30 April to 6 June distributed 15.78 lakh litres of drinking water among 2683 families in 7 villages of Warangal district, 16.90 lakh litres of drinking water among 11,460 families in 4 villages of Karimnagar district and 5.07 lakh litres of drinking water among 3300 families in 8 colonies of Adilabad district. Ponnampet centre distributed 30,000 litres of drinking water among 110 families in Halligattu Deva and Seetha colonies in Kodagu district in May 2016. Hyderabad centre has excavated a well on the Kangna riverbed in Adalpur village in Yalal Mandal in Ranga Reddy district. Water is being pumped from this well to the village situated 1.5 km away. Moreover, the centre has installed a Reverse Osmosis Plant at Gajulaguda village in Ranga Reddy district which will help the villagers avail filtered ground water. Both these projects were inaugurated on 10.06.2016. The centre has also distributed 40,100 litres of buttermilk at Nizamabad and Karimnagar areas among 1,60,018 people from 1 April to 26 May.