Dear All,

As you are awareRamakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum & Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore have jointly undertaken the relief work in the rain affected areas of Bellary, Raichur, Bagalkot, Belgaum & Koppal districts. We are relentlessly continuing in our endeavor to provide whatever is the immediate need of the affected people in the areas we are visiting.

A brief report of relief work conducted so far:

The relief work was started from, Monday 5^th Oct, 09, at Beeranagaddi village (Gokak Tq, Dt. Belgaum). Cooked food ( lunch & dinner) was provided daily, for 10 days, to about 170 affected villagers,

On Tuseday, 6^th Oct, 09, Swami Raghaveshanandaji Maharaj (Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum) & Swami  Nityasthanandaji (President, Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore) visited Bellary district & surveyed some badly affected villages. At one place hearing that a village, named Matur in Siruguppa taluk, has been totally washed off, they visited the village & were surprised to find that the villagers were staying on the main (tar) road making their own make-shift arrangements with plastic covers, etc just like nomads putting up a tent. There were about 150 families. On being asked what they need, the villagers requested to be provided with tent material. Immediately thick plastic tent materials (plastic tarpaulin sheets) & coir ropes were purchased & were distributed on the next day (Wed, 7th Oct, 09). In all about 150 tarpaulin sheets & coir ropes worth Rs. 40,000/- were distributed.

Both the Swamijis kept moving about surveying badly affected areas in Bellary, Koppal, Bijapur & Bagalkoot districts & tried to arrange whatever services possible, depending on the immediate needs of the people. During there visits they arranged for distribution of 150 sets of cooking utensils, worth Rs 60,000/-, at Mudlapur village in Koppal district.

Afterwards on Tuesday, 13th of October at Beeranagaddi village 60 families were given utensil sets ( 2 cooking vessels, 2 lids, 2 cooking ladels - all stainless steel) worth Rs. 20,000/-  &  137 villagers were given blankets worth Rs. 18,000/- & mats worth Rs. 12,000/-.

From 20th of October 09, a team of monastics & volunteers is traveling in Bellary & Raichur districts to provide further relief to the affected villages & also to find out suitable places for the construction of the new houses for the displaced villagers. The team visited Ola Bellary village in Sindhanur Taluk, Raichur Dist & Matur village & Sridhara Guda village in Siruguppa Taluk, Bellary Dist. Relief items such as blankets, garments for children, food items (Wheat powder, tea powder, milk powder, sugar & edible oil) were distributed at these places.

Extract of distribution from 20^th Oct – 23^rd Oct in:

Ola Bellary - Sindhanur Taluk, Raichur Dist.

For 500 families, 500 blankets, 5000 kgs of Wheat powder & 1000 kgs of sugar

Matur - Siruguppa Taluk, Bellary Dist for 175 families and 160 small children

a. 350 blankets

b. 1750 kgs of wheat powder

c. 350 Kgs of sugar

d. 175 kgs of palm oil

e. 43.7 kgs of milk powder

f. 43.7 kgs of tea powder

g. 140 sets of children garments

Sridhara Gudda – Siruguppa Taluk, Bellary Dist

To 52 families and 10 small children (25 families – full set, 27 families- only blankets)

a. 104 blankets

b. 250 kgs of Wheat powder

c. 50 kgs of sugar

d. 25 kgs of Palm oil

e. 6.25 kgs of milk powder

f. 6.25 kgs of tea powder

g. 10 sets of children garments

Bellary Town: 46 blankets to 46 families

In all

1000 blankets

7,000 kgs of wheat powder

1400 kgs of sugar

200 kgs of plam oil

50 kgs of milk powder

50 kgs of tea-powder

150 sets of children’s garments

were distributed & 773 families were benefited by it. More than Rs.4,00,000/- was spent for these distributions

It was found, by our personal visits to these places, that they all require houses to be constructed. Presently, we have decided to construct 100 houses. Each house would cost about Rs. 75,000/-. We shall take up more no of houses as per the availability of the funds.

Shortly, we will be taking up the rehabilitation work by constructing houses in badly affected areas.

To view the images of the relief work kindly visit:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rkmissionashrama/
RamakrishnaMissionAshramaBelgaumFloodReliefServices#