MAITRI proves a Godsend for flood-hit Uttarakhand

Prasad Joshi

After the disaster on 17 June in Uttarakhand, 4 MAITRI volunteers namely Mr Shirish Joshi, Mr Mangesh Joshi, Mr Prashant Pimpalnerkar and Mr  Manohar Lolage  reached the site very next week. (23rd June) They decided to explore  the remote areas which were least accessible to reach out to people who would have possibly received less relief.

After the first assessment report from the  team, MAITRI decided to work in Dharchula region of Pithoragarh District, on Munshiari Glaciaer side of the route to Chota Kailash.

After 4 days two doctor volunteers from MAITRI  joined  the team and started providing medical service in the area. During this time MAITRI volunteers provided information to the District Magistrate of Pithoragarh dictrict  about a village Kanjyoti in the basin of river Kali Ganga which was completely washed off and the residents of the village were stuck there and had not received any help. After this information the District administration air dropped  relief material.

On 29th of June load of 7 tons of clothing was dispatched as relief material from Pune from MAITRI. 

The next batch of 7 volunteers left from Pune on 26th July with 15 tons of relief material which included ration (rice, aata, dal and sugar), clothes, woolens and medicines.

Volunteers are engaged in relief work in villages situated in the basins of river Gori Ganga and Kali Ganga. MAITRI volunteers visited Panna Garudi and Manna Garudi villages on banks of Gori Ganga. They distributed some clothes there.

They have distributed relief material in following villages (written in bracket are no. of families from the respective villages) on Munshiyari route. Mankot (23), Paula (20), Mori (17), Lumpti (55), Chhoribagad (30), Maragada (18), Hudaki (34), Garudi (39) —— all the villages in Munshiyari block.

Relief material like clothes for small children and rations is distributed here. 98 to 120 families are provided relief in a camp set up by District Magistrate Office at Dharchula. All these families hail from villages Sobla, New Sobla, New Suaa, Kanjyoti and Khet. Our team distributed nutritious food like eggs and green leafy vegetables in this camp. Team distributed medicines, ration and clothes in Kimkhola village where 165 families of Vanaraji tribe/community reside.

MAITRI volunteers  have conducted medical camps in villages Khela, Garguva, Kheta, Pangu, Pangala, Janku and Narayan Ashram. They provided medical service to nearly 50 to 100 people in each village.

MAITRI is a registered Trust working from the last 16 years. Its work is volunteer based. Here are some of its achievements:

During  the  MELGHAT  malnutrition problem, it provided medicines in malnutrition affected areas such as agriculture,   employment, medical education, etc.

It helped  the Tamil Nadu people during Tsunami.

It provided relief material  during the Gujarat earthquake.

The Trust helped  out  the people of Bihar during  the  Kosi river flood.

It provided help to people during the Leh cloudburst.

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