Sympathy wave sweeps through the city

Sympathy wave sweeps through the city
The Hindu

BANGALORE, JAN. 2. Bangaloreans continued to network to rush relief material to tsunami victims on Sunday. From individuals to government departments, banks and private companies to non-governmental organisations, the general mood is to give.

The Syndicate Bank has pledged Rs. 2.5 crores to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund along with the contribution of two days' salary from its employees. Employees of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board contributed a day's salary, amounting to Rs. 10 lakhs to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) has contributed Rs. 2.6 crores to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. This included the contribution of a day's salary by its employees.

The Karnataka Marwari Youth Federation sent its first instalment of relief material to Tamil Nadu in four trucks. The material included utensils, new garments, kerosene stoves, footwear, sanitary kits and mosquito coils.

The first team of volunteers and relief material sent by the Human Rights Protection Front reached the affected areas with Rs. 2 lakhs worth medicines and food items.

"We have received information from our group that more volunteers are required urgently. We invite people from all walks of life to volunteer for relief work," the front president, S.P. Swamy, said.

The front's second team will leave for Nagapattinam on January 4 with more relief material and volunteers. For more details, call 26724472 or 9341229221.

The Vishwabharathi House Building Cooperative Society president, B. Krishna Bhat, contributed Rs. 1 lakh on the society's behalf and another Rs. 1 lakh individually to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund with this statement:

"Let us pray to the Almighty not to inflict any such disastrous blow to the universe in future."

Two truckloads of clothes, rice, dal, medicines and financial aid were the contribution from the Kendriya Seva Credit Cooperative Society and the Karnataka Slum Dwellers Development Multipurpose Cooperative Society.

The Bharat Scouts and Guides, Karnataka, has urged all cubs, bulbuls, scouts, guides, rovers, rangers, unit leaders, members and office-bearers of the local, district and State associations to collect donations from parents, educational institutions, philanthropists, industrialists, businessmen and the general public for diversion to tsunami affected areas.

All contributions and donations made to the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Karnataka, enjoy Income Tax exemption under section 80 (G) of Income Tax Act 1961, a release from the association said.

Members of the Social Students Football Club, Cox Town, collected clothes and medicines from houses and shops in Bharathinagar on Sunday. The material will be sent to the tsunami victims in Tamil Nadu, the club president, C. Murthy, said.

Devotees attached to the Full Gospel Assembly of God Church worship centre donated three truckloads of material, including over 17 tonnes of foodgrains, oil, flour and sugar, all worth Rs. 18 lakhs.

The trucks left for Nagapattinam on Sunday morning, along with a team of the church staff and volunteers led by senior pastor Rev. Paul Thangaiah.