As reported in Indian Newslink (July 15) several districts, towns and villages in Uttarakhand have been badly affected by floods.
The State shares its border with Tibet in the North-East and Nepal in the South-East.
Uttarakhand is famous for its Holy Shrines and has been mentioned in the ancient Puranas and scriptures. A number of stories and incidents relating to Lord Shiva, one of the ‘Trimurtis,’ or the Trinity of Gods occurred in this region.
As a State which houses Kailash Parvat (Mountain), the abode of Lord Shiva, Uttarakhand is respectfully known as the ‘Roof of the World,’ and as ‘Dev Bhoomi,’ ‘Land of the Divine.’
It was astonishing that villages and Holy Shrines that were far above sea level, including Kedarnath (11,755 feet), Badrinath (11,204 feet), Gangotri (14,638 feet), Yamunotri (10,804 feet) and Hemkund Sahib (15,200 feet) were among the worst affected places.
Serious challenges
Rescue operations at such high altitudes pose severe challenges and the rising fatality (more than 6000 dead at the time of filing this report).
Rebuilding the State will take time and effort. It is heart-rending to hear from our families and friends of the thousands of lives lost, houses uprooted, destruction of villages, bridges, roads, schools and medical centres, all in the deluge caused by the torrential rains that fell on June 16 and 17, 2013.
Destruction of unimaginable proportions has affected residents and pilgrims. According to reports, the Holy Shrines and Temples will not be open until September 30 or perhaps even later, if the relief works are not completed as per schedule.
Massive relief operations by the Indian Army and Air Force is providing the much needed evacuation and air drop of relief supplies to inaccessible areas.
However, the actual need far outweighs the relief efforts currently underway.
Association formed
In April 2013, a wide ranging group of people hailing from Uttarakhand, now settled in New Zealand, came together to form the Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand (UANZ), which is now registered and incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation under the New Zealand Company rules.
Given the difficult situation in Uttarakhand, UANZ has launched a fundraising initiative to help restore the lives of the families devastated by the recent flood related calamity.
Public donations
We seek your generous donations which are tax deductible in New Zealand. Your contribution of $750 will provide relief for one family, $1500 for two families, $3750 for five families and $7500 for 10 families.
Donations can be made to Bank of Baroda in New Zealand- Account Number 0212730020888002 in the name of Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand. Cheques can also be sent favouring Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand Inc to 138, Lewis Road, RD1, Karaka, Auckland 2580.
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Anil Thapliyal is the Chair of the Fundraising Committee of the Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand based in Auckland. He is a healthcare professional and the Chief Executive of HealthTRx Limited, providing e-health solutions to improve healthcare delivery in New Zealand, USA and Canada.
