The Hindu Business Line : NGOs shoulder relief, rehab burden in Mumbai

After the deluge of July 26 that stopped Mumbai in its track for about a week, and dampened many a hardy Mumbaikar's spirit, those keen to make a difference are creeping out of the woodwork... literally.

In early August the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, invited local NGOs to help with relief operations within the city and in the State. Small associations have pooled in meagre resources for those stricken by the rain-induced chaos, especially for schools and students.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last week provided a list of 27 school buildings that require immediate repairs.

About 12 NGOs are involved in this effort, providing textbooks, schoolbags, insurance schemes and uniforms to quickly rehabilitate BMC school students, most of whom live in neighbouring slums. The number of students affected are estimated at 6.38 lakh.

Many of the schools have been unable to resume activities because of major damage to schools and local slum dwellers are anxious to get their children back to school again.

While the BMC has only given a cursory indication of the damage, surveyors have been moving about and assessing the damage. Property Redevelopers Association (PRA) has offered to repair the school buildings. Repairs could cost Rs 20-Rs 25 lakh, an official said. He added that some of the repairs would include work on damaged compound walls, floors, staircases and such.

PRA, a three-year old organisation that spreads rights' awareness among tenants of cessed and dilapidated buildings in Mumbai, also has two teams of doctors currently providing medical attention in and around Mumbai.

According to activist Ms Teesta Setalvad, Citizens for Justice and Peace, data from the BMC and TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) and rest of Maharashtra shows that "in Mumbai alone a total of 2,48,974 children are affected; and in Thane district 1,46,856; in Raigad, 5,560; in Pune district 33,550; in Kolhapur 33,550; in Satara 28,912; and in Sangli 30,000. These are figures of children going to municipal, corporation or zilla parishad schools. Even private schools, grant-in-aid and partly aided, are affected."

Her organisation will immediately try and provide materials to 2,000 children from the donations and source donors for over 25,000 children. "We have estimated that one set for children amounts to Rs 240 or so. It is a huge crisis and it is important that all and sundry help and help generously."

Other donors involved are Rangoonwala Foundation, Siddhivinayak Trust, Aditya Birla Foundation, Siddivinayak Temple Trust, Bombay Dyeing and small trusts such as National Welfare Trust and Achra Trust. Nirmala Niketan is a major nodal agency through which these donors are coming together.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page