Meeting Basic Needs

We have started a third relief camp in Anjar that feeds around 1000 people every day. 

Our AMURTEL Didis and women volunteers are doing a fantastic job. They are reaching to the remotest villages where no other NGOs care to go. Although there is a flood of relief materials in the urban areas, the rural areas are still neglected. 

AMURT has distributed two truckloads of flour to villages around Gandhidham and Kutch in the past two days. 

AMURT Mumbai has just sent two truck-loads of relief goods to our teams in Kutch. One loaded with general supplies, and the other loaded with plastic tarpaulin for temporary houses and tents required by the AMURT camp in Gandhidham.


Disposing of Dead Bodies

AMURT is getting a lot of media coverage from this activity. Everyone from the government officials to the military to the general public, are calling upon us to perform this horrible task. As a result, a recent news article in India Abroad refers to us as “the ultimate relief workers.”


Current Needs

The following items are required, but only if they can be sent immediately: plastic tarpaulin sheets with eyelets, nylon cords & milk powder:

DO NOT SEND CLOTHES OR MEDICINE

Support from Groups On-site

People of other organisations and trusts have been bringing large amounts of relief materials to the site. However, they do not have distribution networks. They depend upon NGOs like us for distribution.

Recently the trustees of the famous ‘Somnath’ Temple in Gujarat and Rotary Club of Ajmer in Rajasthan arrived with truckloads of relief materials and unloaded them in our camp as they found that our volunteers are systematic and dedicated.

Care India provided us with 200 blankets for distribution.


Media Coverage

We are getting good coverage from the media. A Television team of Doordarshan (National Television of India) has covered our operations in Gandhidham and returning to Mumbai today (Feb 7) with a detailed report.


Short Term Plan

We will continue with our current relief efforts for as long as required, assessing the situation on a week-by-week basis.

Long-term plan

The primary needs of the people in Kutch is housing. AMURT and AMURTEL will assess the possibility of adopting a village and reconstructing the houses there. This will require a large amount of money. The living standards are high in Gujarat (compared to other parts of India). A single house will cost around $1500 to build.

We are requesting everyone to research low-cost earthquake proof housing which could be built for the survivors.