East, Northeast India raising funds to help rebuild Kerala

As rain-battered Kerala faces the gigantic task of rehabilitation and rebuilding, several organisations in eastern and north-eastern India have begun collecting funds and relief materials to help the people affected in the idyllic southern state to tide over the crisis.

Malayali and Keralite associations in Kolkata have started a campaign and are collecting funds and necessary materials for the victims of the worst flood in the state in nearly a century.

More than 200 people have died in the state and over 7.24 lakh people have been displaced, officials said. The biggest challenge facing the state machinery is to prevent the outbreak of diseases after floodwaters recede.

"We have started collecting relief materials and funds. Hopefully, we would be able to send them to Kerala by this week. The entire agricultural sector has been badly affected in floods," said T K Gopalnan, trustee, Kolkata Kairali Samajam.

"We have identified the areas where relief materials would be sent. We are also in touch with some schools where the relief materials will be kept for distribution," he said.

The West Bengal government has announced a contribution of Rs 10 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's relief fund.

West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open a call centre in Bengali language to assist the migrant workers from Bengal, especially Murshidabad, trapped in Kerala.

The Congress MP who represents Murshidabad thanked Modi for "initiating best possible relief work in Kerala".

In Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, a Malayali association has decided to cancel Onam celebrations. The annual harvest festival commenced on August 15 and will conclude on August 27.

The association members have instead launched a week-long campaign in and around the steel city to raise money and relief materials for the flood-affected people, its general secretary Sunil Kumar said.

The Arunachal Pradesh government announced contribution of Rs 3 crore to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

The CMO Arunachal wrote on Twitter "Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister @Pemakhandubjp announces Rs 3 crore as immediate assistance from Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the Kerala flood and expressed solidarity with the people in Kerala in this trying time."