Relief
Activities
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The
Damage
It is written down in history as ‘the worst flood disaster of
the century in India.’ The floods that hit Gujarat in August 1979
left thousands of people and cattle dead. Thousands more were
made homeless. Crops were destroyed and washed away.
The
Relief Operation
The Sanstha set out
immediately to help. Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Head of
the Sanstha requested all Sanstha volunteers to go to Morbi immediately.
This information was conveyed over the radio and newspapers. Funds
were collected from all parts of India, England, America and East
African Countries. Medicines and clothes were also collected.
Shelter
As the floods had taken everything in their path, thousands of
people were left homeless. The Sanstha organised shelter for 10,000
homeless people in Gondal and Rajkot.
Food,
Water & Clothes
- For 15 days, 107 women volunteers
of the Sanstha prepared food for 2,000 victims in Morbi.
- 300 victims were provided with
meals, snacks and lodging in Rajkot. 175 families were given
cloths
- 25,000 cups of tea were distributed
free everyday for 13 consecutives days. The tea stalls run
by the Sanstha were open 24 hours a day.
- Clothes that had arrived from
around the world and other parts of India were freely distributed
to the people of Morbi.
- Fresh and clean drinking water
was a major problem. The Sanstha took care to provide fresh
drinking water to everyone in the effected area.
- 25th August 1979
was the Muslim holy day of Id - following the month of Ramzan.
Food was a big problem. The swamis and volunteers of this
Hindu Sanstha took up the service to cook food and prepare
sweet dishes for 5,000 Muslims! The volunteers of the Sanstha
then served all 5,000 people.
Medical
Help
Volunteer doctors of the Sanstha were rushed in to the area to
help the injured and sick. In total 1,650 people benefited from
the medical help. Prevention vaccines against Cholera and Tetanus
were also provided and given by our doctors.
Operation
Clean Up
The floods brought with it everything. Those buildings that were
not washed away were filled with huge amounts of mud and swampy
garbage. A total of 1511 volunteers were sent to Morbi to bring
order to the area.
During
their 50-day stay in Morbi, the volunteers cleaned up:
- 17 streets
- 1,300 buildings
- 9 factories
- 5 banks
- 9 shops
- 6 clinics
- 4 temples
- 1 cow shed
- The Morbi Engineering College.
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