MAMATA OFFERS FULL COOPERATION IN RELIEF AND RESCUE OPERATIONS

In a major humanitarian initiative towards providing succour to the flood victims, the Ministry of Railways has decided to transport relief material booked by various agencies to flood affected districts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, free of charge for the timely distribution among the affected people.

The Minister of Railways, Kumari Mamata BanerjeeMamata Banerjee, taking prompt action, has sanctioned this measure as a special case with a view to facilitate movement of relief material to flood affected areas for the benefit of millions of people marooned by the recent floods occurring in the two states..

The Railway Minister also directed the General Managers of South Central Railway (Headquarters at Secundrabad) and of South Western Railway (Headquarters at Hubli) to extend all possible assistance to concerned state governments in carrying out relief and rescue operations. She also spoke personally to the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and offered full cooperation of Railways in this hour of crisis.

Relief material may be booked by District Magistrate, Relief Commissioner, Government and Non-Government Organisations, recoginised political parties, trusts, Philanthropic organisations, social services organisations, reputed press and electronic media for transportation by rail from any station in the country to flood affected districts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The relief material will be transported on the condition that the consignment of the relief material is addressed to the Relief Commissioner/District Magistrate of the flood affected districts which include; Bijapuir, Bagalkopt, Raichur, Bellary of Karnataka and Mehabubnagar, Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda of Andhra Pradesh. The Railways will not charge any money for this kind of transportation.

The relief material so transported will be distributed under the supervision of the authorities of the State Government.

Railway Board has directed all Zonal Railways to implement these instructions with immediate effect. This scheme of free of charge transportation of relief material will remain valid upto 4th December 2009. The Zonal Railways have also been directed to move relief material consignment on priority subject to operational feasibility.

The consignment will be booked at Owner’s Risk and no claim for any loss or damage to the consignments carried under this arrangement will be entertained by Railways.(EOM)