Author:
Publication: The Navhind Times,
Panaji, Goa
Dated: February 10, 2001
The beleaguered Gujarat government
has finally something to cheer about with several international agencies
praising it for the support they received in alleviating the misery and
sufferings of those affected by the January 26 earthquake.
"It is a mammoth task for any government
to handle. But the government has been very cooperative to us," said
Mr. Edward Pearn, the head of a United Nations disaster relief team, which
is camping in the town of Bhuj, one of the worst earthquake-hit areas of
Gujarat.
Ms Dorothy Hector of the world food
programme endorses Mr. Pearn's view, saying the assistance they and their
counterparts from other international agencies have received from the Indian
and Gujarat government officials ever since they landed here is praise-worthy.
Mr. Pearn and his team are coordinating
the work of all other UN agencies working in Kutch, Gujarat's worst-affected
district, where more than 25,000 have perished.
He feels that given the extent of
damage, it will take up to a year to rebuild collapsed-villages and towns.
Devastation is widespread and Mr. Pearn refuses to be drawn into the controversy
about the number of dead being touted out. "We will go by the government
figure. But more important than the figure is to reach relief to
the survivors," he said.
He, however, added that the immediate
challenge is to make available shelter for the tens of thousands of quake
victims because there were not enough tents to go around. Besides,
blankets, utensils and other essential articles have to be distributed.
"The victims also have to be provided with means to reorganise their livelihood,"
he said.
Ms Hector is here with her seven-member
team. She said the WFP is trying to establish an office in
Bhuj with 20 staff members to initiate long-term relief measures.
This will include not just WFP relief work but also coordination with the
government and UN agencies and the non- government organisations.
The WFP is planning to bring in
8,000 tonnes of food grains over a period of time. "We will begin
with 40 tonnes a day and carry on distributing them for months.
This is the biggest natural disaster I have seen in my life. But the cooperation
from the excellent," she said.
Among the UN teams that have descended
on Kutch are the United Nations development programme, the United Nations
Children's Fund and the International Labour Organisation.