As many of you are aware Cyclone Aila wrecked havoc on the coastal South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on May 25, 2009. With winds of 120kmph, 10 feet high waves and a diameter of 250-350 km it flattened or washed away homes and flooded most of Sunderbans, Kakdwip, Sagar and surrounding areas. This devastating cyclone has left more 100,000 people homeless with little or no access to food, safe drinking water, shelter or medicine.
MUKTI is a non profit organization serving the underprivileged, illiterate, poor and backward people of rural West Bengal to create self-reliant society through efficient and environmentally conscious use of local resources.
MUKTI immediately joined the disaster relief effort. MUKTI India volunteers have started rehabilitation work from March 27, 2009 morning in all areas in which MUKTI has presence. The immediate goal is to move the stranded people to higher grounds and provide food and safe drinking water.
MUKTI is trying to mobilize funds and support from all quarters. We have targeted to raise Rs 5,000,000 (approximately USD $125,000) for the Emergency Relief Fund for approximately 25,000 people at Rs.200/person. A devastation of such great magnitude requires massive recovery efforts. We urge everybody to extend help and support in whatever way possible.
MUKTI has already started distributing emergency relief items including:
1. Canvas Sheet (Tripal)
2. Clothes and Utensils
3. Basic Food – Rice, Dal, Sugar, Salt
4. Baby food, dry food (chira, muri, biscuit etc)
5. Common medicines, zeolin (water purifier)
6. Hurricane lamps and torch lights
But we need your generous donation to continue our relief work in providing support to the people affected by this natural calamity. We urge you to come forward with generous support and spread the word amongst your friends. Any amount will help in this ongoing disaster relief effort.
With little help from all of us we can achieve this monumental task.
— Madhsudan Bairagi, Secretary,Mukti.