Indians collect tonnes of relief materials
ORGANISATIONS OPEN COLLECTION CENTRES ACROSS UAE; MONEY CAN BE SENT TO CHIEF MINISTER’S RELIEF FUND
Almost all of more than a million expatriates from the South Indian state of Kerala along with fellow Indians are actively working with a large number of community organisations across the UAE to help the victims of devastating floods in their home state.
“Two containers of relief materials collected by us in Dubai will be sent to Kerala today,” Puthur Rahman, president of Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the largest Indian community organisation in the UAE, told Gulf News yesterday.
He said all community organisations in Fujairah emirate, led by Indian Social Club and KMCC, are also sending one container of relief materials today.
The KMCC is encouraging its 60,000 members to set aside one day’s salary for the relief efforts. The Abu Dhabi committee of the KMCC has committed to raise Rs5 million (Dh263,141), he said. People can submit relief materials at various KMCC offices across the UAE, Rahman said.
The Indian Association — Sharjah (IAS) has started collecting materials and many nonIndians have also come forward to help. “An Iraqi man contributed 10 bags of rice on Friday,” said Abdullah Mallachery, general secretary of the IAS. He said the association has announced Rs2.5 million to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) and Rs500,000 has already been given.
The Kerala Social Centre (KSC) in Abu Dhabi collected 1.5 tonnes of relief materials in the last two days, which include 1,000 blankets, said Saleem Cholamukath, auditor and media coordinator at the KSC. He said the KSC and Abu Dhabi Shakthi Theatres, a cultural organisation, will continue to collect the materials and encourage their members to contribute money to the chief minister’s relief fund.
Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam (ADMS) has already collected one container of materials in coordination with various other community groups, said T.A. Nazer, president of ADMS. A meeting of all community groups yesterday night at the ADMS would discuss and decide the further action plans to step up relief efforts, he said.
The Indian Social Centre (ISC) and the Indian Ladies Association (ILA) will also open collection points at their respective offices from today.
UAE-based businesses are continuing their donations for Kerala flood victims.
Dr K.P. Hussain, chairman, Fathima Healthcare Group, has announced Rs50 million for relief efforts in Kerala. He said Rs10 million will be donated directly to the chief minister’s relief fund and an additional Rs40 million will be allotted for medical relief aid. Volunteers from the medical faculty including doctors and paramedical staff will be sent to the relief camps in Kerala, he said.
Al Ansari Exchange has announced a Dh500,000 aid for the relief efforts. To offer further support to the victims of this calamity, the company has launched a service through which donations can be made to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMDRF) with no service charges.