By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A number of NGOs from Kashmir have kick started ‘Kashmir’s Chennai Flood Relief Initiative’ which is expected to send rescue teams and relief aids from the Valley to flood-affected areas of Chennai.
A team of Kashmiri youths have already left for Chennai with emergency medicines and rafters. Besides, a fundraiser has already been started in the Valley for flood victims. The teams leaving from Kashmir will work in association with international organisation Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC).
Syed Tabasum Geelani, the man behind the initiative, told TwoCircles.net, “As of now five social organizations–Rahim Green, Help poor, Ehsaas Trust, Idara Falah Aam and Invitation Towards Straight Path–have become part of this initiative. IMRC, with whom we are associating for this initiative, is also reaching today to Chennai with food packets, drinking water and clothing.”
The floods in Chennai have brought back memories in Kashmir, which faced similar floods in September 2014 when life remained crippled for around a month with huge loss to lives and economy. A sea of volunteers and aid had then come from almost every state of India.
“We have started this initiative with a firm belief that more organisations will join it and this will be a joint initiative from Kashmir to send across a message that Kashmiris stand for people irrespective of caste, creed, color and religion because we have been helped during Kashmir floods the same way. We want to send a message that Kashmiris understand their pain and are ready to stand with them at this time of grief. It’s Kashmir’s payback time,” said Geelani.
Another team from Kashmir will leave on November 8. Kashmiri students presently studying in Chennai will join the team leaving from the Valley.