Church to aid Karnataka govt in relief work

The Catholic Church in Karnataka has agreed to assist the local government in large scale to ease the woes of millions affected by floods in the state.

At a meeting in Belgaum on October 8, bishops of all five dioceses of North Karnataka discussed short-term and long-term strategies to assist the government at the district and taluk levels, to construct houses, render food and supply medicines to the flood victims.

At least 220 people were killed in Karnataka and another 63 in Andhra Pradesh after heavy rain and flood washed away their homes and caused severe loss to life and property last week. More than 1.5 million people stay in relief camps across both states.

At the Thursday's North Karnataka Flood Relief Strategic Action Plan Meet bishops and representatives of different non-governmental organisations discussed on immediate rescue operations and long-term relief measures that was to be immediately addressed and shared.

Bishop Gerald Lobo of Shimoga, presiding over the meeting, said that the Church in India was planning to assist 25,000 flood-affected families in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, as reported by the South Asia Religious News.

The Church in Karnataka is also mulling over constructing 1,000 houses and to also provide semi-accommodation to at least 750 families, Bishop Lobo said.

The bishops and heads of NGOs like Caritas India, IGSSS, CRS, Habitat and KROSS were briefed with the present flood scenario and the need to urgently assist the relief work by Deputy Commissioner of Belgaum, Dr. J. Ravishankar.

Apart from the rehabilitation activities, the meeting also agreed on creating a task force for every village to carry out relief work like distribution of food grain, medicines, clothes and utensils.

In Karnataka, the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkote, Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga are the worst affected. In Bijapur alone 10,000 people have been left homeless.

Several Church-based relief agencies have sprung into action after the flood, described by officials as the worst in many decades in south India, continued to wreak havoc.

A Christian relief and development organisation has warned of severe food shortages in the aftermath of the flood.

"India is now entering a period of severe food vulnerability," said Jayakumar Christian, World Vision's national director in India. "We are seeing our development work set back by years."

World Vision is now appealing for $2 million to meet the immediate needs of 100,000 flood survivors who have been driven from their homes into relief camps.

Meanwhile, as both the states sought immediate Central assistance of Rs 16,000 crore for rehabilitation work, Andhra Pradesh called on the government to declare the floods a national calamity.