Keep the faith, Together we will rebuild Kerala: Nita Ambani

NEW DELHI: Reliance Foundation (RF), under the leadership of Chairperson Nita Mukesh Ambani is spearheading rescue and relief operations in flood-ravaged Kerala.nnReliance Foundation donated Rs 21 crores towards the Chief Minister?s Relief Fund. Also relief materials worth Rs 50 crores has been distributed to the flood affected victims. Ambani visited Pallipad village, in Alappuzha district of Kerala, one of the worst affected areas during the floods to get a first-hand feel of the flood situation.nnIt helped her understand the exact needs of the people, and will facilitate long term rehabilitation work. She also met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and expressed solidarity to the people of Kerala and help create critical infrastructure.nnAssuring displaced people of timely relief, Ambani said, ?Reliance Foundation is committed to support the people of Kerala in this time of crisis. We will be there for all of you, and together we will overcome this calamity. Keep the faith. God?s Own Country will soon regain its grandeur.?nnA team of 30 people from Reliance Foundation was deployed for rescue work from August 14, 2018. Reliance Foundation Information Services in coordination with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) undertook rescue operations in conducting relief and rescue operations through its toll free helpline and was successful in rescuing over 1600 people.nnRF undertook field operations in six districts: Ernakulam, Wayanad, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Idukki and Pathanamthitta. The focus was on providing materials for immediate requirement. This was done through Reliance Retail which supplied ready to eat food, glucose and sanitary napkins to 160 relief camps run by the government. Besides rations kits, clothing kits and utensil kits have been distributed in these areas supporting about 70,000 people.nnKeeping in mind the possibility of outbreak of epidemics, RF set up medical camps in Wayanad district; conducted multiple livestock camps in Wayanad and Alappuzha districts; and supplied medicines to the government for use by district authorities.nnPallipad is among the worst affected villages in Alappuzha district. Situated 36 Kms from the district headquarters ? Alappuzha, the village has 6430 households (population 24640). The government, trusts and NTPC have set up 17 camps across the village in schools, temples and in NTPC pump house ground. Reliance Foundation is supporting 3,500 families with cloth kits in close coordination with the local government representatives in the village.nnAcross the worst affected six districts, RF has supported with dry ration kits – sustaining a family for 15 days, a bedding kit for a family of three, sanitary kit to clean and disinfect the houses and utensil kit for a family to restart their kitchen over the next seven days. Moving forward from the relief stage, RF is also working with the community in identifying rebuilding critical infrastructure in the villages such as schools etc.