Donate to the Bihar flood victims

In pictures: Bihar floods:: Pictures courtesy: BBC

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At least 55 people have died and some two million others have fled their homes after massive floods hit India's eastern state of Bihar, local officials say.

The flooding began after the Kosi River - known as the River of Sorrow - breached its banks, sending huge waves of water through a channel it had previously abandoned.

At least 90,000 people have been rescued, but many thousands remain stranded, officials say.

Rescuers are using hundreds of boats to shift people to some 100 relief camps, amid fears that water-borne disease may be spreading.

The central government has announced a $228m (£125m) relief package and some 125,000 tonnes of grain for those affected by the disaster.

Officials say the flooding is the worst in 50 years to hit the region, and there are fears that the death toll will rise further.

Please contribute to the millions drenched in the sorrow of floods in Bihar. The Kosi has taken its toll and human negligence if unattended can take a dangerous toll on the poor victims. Each rupee, dollar and wotever currency counts......

The Kosi River, sometimes called the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’, changed its course after almost two centuries following a breach in an embankment upstream in Nepal, inundating 14 districts of Bihar. Supaul district has been the worst hit followed by Madhepura, Araria and Saharsa. The Kosi River still remains untamed showing no signs of receding water levels. The first four districts were the worst affected where over 2.27 million people in 755 villages were reeling under its impact. Thousands of families have been forced to live under the open sky or on embankments, roads, rooftops and bridges waiting for help.

The most urgent succor include shelter and access to fresh water, food, emergency medical supplies and basic household items and our grass root volunteers in respective districts are engaged in providing immediate relief with the locally raised available resources. Besides, immediately aiding the rescue and relief, we desperately need your generous contributions to launch the inevitable rehabilitation plans for the flood victims.

There is an urgent need to provide relief to the suffering millions. Whilst the Indian Government is making its own efforts in rescuing people, supplying food, medication, clothing, and shelter. The magnitude of devastation is such that additional aid and resources are required urgently to help in the relief efforts.

BIHAR BADH PIDIT SEVA SAMITI

Shri Jawahar Jha (Prant Mantri)

Vishva Hindu Parishad Office

House of Shri Kamender Chaudhari

Lane No. 1, Padav Pokhar, Aam Gola,

MUZAFFARPUR-842002 (Bihar)

Phone N0- 09430242151, 09334658975

Office : 09234117456, 09431267094

Shri Anil ji

Vishva Hindu Parishad Office

C/o - Dr. S. N. Arya

W/8, Ashiyana Nagar,

Phase - 1, Near Pani Tanki,

Behind State Bank of India,

Patna - 800 025 (Bihar)

Phone - 0612 - 2584604

- 09430921950

- 09430146345

RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI
Keshavakrupa, 74, Rangarao Road
Shankarapuram, Chamarajapet
Bangalore - 560004
Ph. 080 26610081, 2660760

The contribution will be taken only in the form of cash (DD, Cheques etc.also ) and not in the form of kind, at this centre. The money may also the paid in the form of Cheques/ DDs/ Money Orders in favor of RSS SANCHALITA SANTRASTA PARIHARA NIDHI, Bangalore.
All contributions made here are tax exempted under 80G rule.

Here are some options to support the needy:

http://www.belurmath.org/donation.php
For those in US :

www.sewausa.org

http://www.idrf.org

For those in UK : http://www.sewauk.org

You can also donate online (paypal) at http://www.idrf.org
They are working through their partner NGOs in the area: Sewa International, Sewa Bharati, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and some others are working together. They are serving under the banner of “BARH RAHAT SAHAYTA SAMITI” on the east side with its center at Saharsa, and “BARH PEERIT SAHAYTA SAMITI” on the west side with its headquarters at Muzaffarpur.

India Development and Relief Fund, Inc.
5821 Mossrock Drive
North Bethesda, MD 20852-3238
Email: idrfhq@yahoo.com
Phone: 1-301-704-0032
Web: www.idrf.org

idrf-bihar-flood-appeal-sept-08.doc

first-activity-report-on-bihar-flood.doc

Donate online at: www.sewausa.org

SEWA INTERNATIONAL INDIA

To contribute online visit www.sewausa.org or send check to:

P.O. Box 14622

Fremont, CA 94539

PDF version

Flood Relief operations, Bihar

( Run by RSS and like minded Organizations.)

(Updated till 11.09.2008, 8pm.)

Total affected Districts = 8

Affected villages = 877

Affected population = 25lakh Approx.

Totally disconnected villages = Approx. 700 villages

Total number of Karyakartas working in shifts = 2,000

Centers of Seva Karya = 28 centers

People reached through Seva Karya = 4lakh

Water level has come down by 5 feet on an average.

Seva Swarup :
Medical treatment - 13 Doctors team is working. Few more will join.
Lots of Medicines have been supplied. Cloths, Plastic materials for day today use, Utensils for the preparation of food etc, have been supplied.
Readymade Food packets are distributed. At camps hot and fresh food is been served.
A pocket of 2.5Kg containing 1kg Rice OR 1Kg Beaten Rice (avalakki), Aloo, Chilli, Salt and other necessary items to make a meal is distributed. They are planning to increase this bag weight to 5Kg gradually.
Activity at the Centers:
At every centre Bhaarata Maataa photo is decorated at the centre. The day begins with early morning aarti to Bhaarata Maataa, service activities gets start. There is no distress seen around the camp. No one is made to sit idle. Full of joy, activity, enthusiasm seen exists at these centres. There are Samskara Kendra's, Stitching Centers; Food Serving Centers are running simultaneously.
Special news :
Hundreds of the Muslims are there in these rescue camps.. They denied to stay in camps run by Madarsas and other Muslim Organisations.
Poojya Swami Baba Ramdev Maharaj personally visited three Camps. He spent few hours with the affected people and Karyakartas. He was very happy about the manner in which these centers have taken work.
BBC has telecasted 90 minutes programme on these activities.
Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav searched for the the telephone number of relief camp and personally spoke. He expressed his gratitude for the Seva Work. He and his department is fully co-operating with the work, he said. He thanked all the karyakarthas involved in rescue operation.

When govts fails, people keep hope afloat

When govts fails, people keep hope afloat

By Manish Anand

Resilience is the word. This makes the people of Bihar a class apart. An unmeasurable human crisis is looking straight into the eyes of more than 2.5 million people in the state. But when the government fails to keep the promises, the people keep the hope afloat. This is the state of the affairs of the state facing the wrath of the turbulent river Kosi.

Nepal has reportedly acknowledged its laxity in keeping the Indian side posted with the state of the embankment on Kosi. This nation was too busy with the guerrilla Maoists just recently fighting the nation taking command of its government. It did not bother the implications of its criminal laxity.

People in Bihar are turning out quite large-hearted. Even the poor are contributing in their own manners for the relief of the affected. The gates of Dharamshalas have been thrown open at most of the places. The divide of the religion and caste has been breached, at least for the moment.

The Rashtriya Sevak Sangh (RSS), always the whipping boy of the "secularists", has come out to provide succor to the people in distress ably. Its front, Seva Bharti, which is manned by the foot-soldiers of the RSS is keeping the hope of the battered people afloat with its relief camps across the state. It's heartening to know that other voluntary organisations are flocking to it in their bits to share the sorrow of the millions of the distressed.

However, the current of the river Kosi is too strong to lift the gloomy picture. It's flowing at a much alarming speed, with the heavy rains set to cast a pall of gloom not only on the state machinery but also to the people who are looking into bleak future.

The government's response has been too inadequate and too late. The official figure of the death toll though is in double digit, the talk in the state is of thousands of deaths. If that was not enough, the epidemic, with the carcass of human and animal bodies floating in the river, is threatening to inflict its own toll.

The government both at the Centre and state must match the resilience of the people, lest their credibilty shoud take the sever beating.

BIHAR BADH PIDIT SEVA SAMITI

Shri Jawahar Jha (Prant Mantri Vishva Hindu Parishad Office House of Shri Kamender Chaudhari Lane No. 1, Padav Pokhar, Aam Gola, MUZAFFARPUR-842002 (Bihar) Phone N.- 09430242151, 09334658975 Office & 09234117456, & 09431267094

Shri Anil ji

Vishva Hindu Parishad Office

C/o - Dr. S. N. Arya

W/8, Ashiyana Nagar,

Phase - 1, Near Pani Tanki,

Behind State Bank of India,

Patna - 800 025 (Bihar)

Phone - 0612 - 2584604

- 09430921950

- 09430146345

(The picture is of The Action Aid, an NGO.)

Here are some options to support the needy:

http://www.belurmath.org/donation.php

For those in US :

www.sewausa.org

http://www.idrf.org

For those in UK : http://www.sewainternational.com

You can also donate online (paypal) at http://www.idrf.org

They are working through their partner NGOs in the area: Sewa International, Sewa Bharati, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and some others are working together. They are serving under the banner of “BARH RAHAT SAHAYTA SAMITI” on the east side with its center at Saharsa, and “BARH PEERIT SAHAYTA SAMITI” on the west side with its headquarters at Muzaffarpur.

India Development and Relief Fund, Inc.
5821 Mossrock Drive
North Bethesda, MD 20852-3238
Email: idrfhq@yahoo.com
Phone: 1-301-704-0032
Web: www.idrf.org

idrf-bihar-flood-appeal-sept-08.doc

first-activity-report-on-bihar-flood.doc

Donate online at: www.sewausa.org

SEWA INTERNATIONAL INDIA

To contribute online visit www.sewausa.org or send check to:

P.O. Box 14622

Fremont, CA 94539

PDF version

NGO donates ambulance to six-bed Bihdia PHC

Source : Newsonnortheast.blogspot.com
Correspondent GORESWAR, Aug 31 – An ambulance, donated by NGO Seva Bharati Purbanchal in the name of Bihdia six-bed PHC for serving the poor patients of the vast area of Patidarrang and Karara mouzas in Kamrup (R) district, was inaugurated by Monoranjan Seal, president of the NGO here at Belkona Chowk recently.On the occasion, a well attended meeting was held under the aegis of Bihdia Tajikona Block Mandal BJP committee with Jadav Deka, president of North Kamrup district BJP in the chair, while Nripen Deka, secretary of the ambulance committee, explained the purpose of the meeting.

Addressing the meet, Monoranjan Seal, president of Seva Bharati, Keshab Nanderjhar of Mizoram, Ulas Kulkarni, member, SB and Mukesh Sing Sinha, incharge, Medical Officer (Bank) spoke at length about the social activities that have been undertaken by the NGO since its inception.Chairperson Jadav Deka pointed out the medical problems faced by the poor patients of this vast rural area. The six-bed Bihdia PHC, the meet felt, would now be able to redress these problems.

International Youth Day: Under the aegis of the Madhya Patidarrang Janakalyan Sangha (MPJS) of Patidarrang mouza under Kamalpur LAC, International Youth Day was celebrated with a day-long programme at the MPJS conference hall on August 12 in collaboration with Nehru Yuba Kendra of Guwahati.Earlier, a tree plantation and various competitions were held among the schoolchildren. A seminar on the topic ‘Changing of Climate, Youth Energy and Challenge of Time” was held where Chandra Kumar Sarma, State Election Commissioner, Hangshadhar Sarma, teacher of Brindaban Higher Secondary School and journalist of The Assam Tribune Kanthi Saikia participated as resource persons, while Hachi Ram Boro, president of MPJS, monitored it.

Hangshadhar Sarma inaugurated the seminar and spoke about the significance of International Youth Day. He stressed on checking degradation of the mental attitude of the youth so that they may be more active in finding their real path in life. Chandra Kumar Sarma urged the youths to develop their skills in areas of their interest for a better future.Kanthi Saikia opined that the present youth generation must be careful in moulding their life through proper application of their energy and mental attitude. They must refrain from addictive drugs, he warned. Otherwise, they would not be able to usher in development of society, both economically and technically, to suit global standard. Among others, Dr Babul Saharia, SDC, Goreswar Revenue Circle, Anowar Hussain, Accountant, Nehru Yuba Kendra, Guwahati, Chandradhar Nath, president of Four H Centre, Dumni Chowki, etc., spoke on the occasion.

source: assam tribune

Sewa raises $60,000 for Bihar flood relief

Sewa raises $60,000 for Bihar flood relief
Wednesday, 09.10.2008, 12:29am (GMT-7)
Source: Indiapost.com

FREMONT: Bihar is currently experiencing devastating floods. The embankment along the Kosi River in northern Bihar has broken, drowning towns and numerous villages - many are reported dead or rendered homeless.Sewa International USA is working with various organizations such as Sewa Bharati to provide relief to victims of devastating flood in Bihar, India.

3,500 dedicated volunteers working round the clock rescuing, distributing relief materials, providing food and essential health care. From Aug. 19 itself, a main center was set up in Muzaffarpur to collect relief materials and distribute to seven sewa centers (camps) and twenty-one sub-centers.

These centers are providing immediate relief in form of food, medicines, clothes etc. Material is provided to needy by boat to remote places. Sewa Bharati schools in all seven districts are converted into relief centers to provide place for people to stay and provide food to thousands and we plan to set up relief centers at more locations.

Sewa International USA has raised $60,000 for Bihar flood so far and appeals to all to donate generously. Besides Sewa Bharati, Sewa International USA also intends to contribute to Patanjali Disaster relief of Swami Ramdev."We greatly appreciate generous donation of all so far", said Sewa International USA President, Gautam Desai.

"This will help us accelerate our relief effort. I am sure people affected by the flood will be grateful. But we urge all sympathizers to contribute generously. Need for resources are far greater since we also intend to help in rehabilitation.

"For more information, please call 510-579-4742 or email info@sewausa.org.

India Post News Service

RSS wing raises toast to women

RSS wing raises toast to women

RAJ KUMAR Source : Telegraphindia.com

Seva Bharati members perform bhoomi poojan at Harmu in Ranchi on Sunday. Telegraph picture Ranchi, Sept. 7: The state capital will witness an influx of more than 20,000 women associated with about 1,200 self-help groups on September 14. They would come to the city to participate in a women empowerment programme— called “matri shakti sammelan”— which would be organised by Seva Bharti, an RSS volunteering unit that puts curb on religious conversion. The firebrand orator Sadhvi Rithambhara — who had played a major role in motivating people during BJP Ram Janmabhumi agitation — and RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan would offer lessons on the issues related to women in the state. The programme will be organised on September 14 at Harmu Housing Colony ground. A bhoomi pujan was organised today at the programme venue amid chanting of Vedic mantras and RSS workers were briefed about the programme in their regular camp — Sakha — this morning. The programme is being supported and organised by the eminent personalities of the city. Meera Munda, spouse of former chief minister Arjun Munda, is associated with the programme as chairman of welcome committee while a noted city-based neuro- surgeon H.P. Narayn, is also associated with the programme as its patron. The programme will start at 11.30am and continue till 4pm. Programme convener Shekhar Agrawal said that the purpose of the programme is women empowerment and all those coming in the programme are associated with over 1,000 self-help groups run by Seva Bharati. He said that woman participants include tribal and non-tribal and they do not have any political affiliation. “This the first time such a big programme is being organised in the state for women and most people are contributing for the programme. This would help boost the morale of women coming form sub-urban areas,” said the city-based social activist Agrawal. Women from remote area would start reaching the city from September 13. Each participant would be provided food in the programme. More than 400 buses would be pressed into service during the programme. Each participant has contributed Rs 10 for the programme.