Hyderabad|India|October'2009: Chief Minister K Rosaiah has appealed to the people donate liberally for providing relief to flood victims, as every rupee contributed to the flood relief fund will help the government wipe out their tears.

In an open appeal to philanthropists, voluntary organisations, employees’ associations, agencies and individuals, the Chief Minister said their timely help would go a long way in providing succour to the flood-affected people, who were in distress and despair.

“The government is doing everything at its command to help the victims. However, there is a limit to what the government can do, as it is a formidable task to overcome the affects of the tragedy of such a magnitude. It requires people from all walks of life to lend their helping hand to the government,” he said. Mr Rosaiah, who left for flood affected areas on Sunday to personally call on the victims, expressed gratitude to philanthropists and representatives of NGOs who met him at his residence to contribute to the CM’s Relief Fund. “Every rupee you are contributing will help us wipe out tears of the affected people,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the entire government machinery had been working round the clock to provide relief to the devastated areas in Kurnool, Nandyal, Mahbubnagar, Krishna and Guntur districts. The condition of people who had lost everything was pitiable. There was a colossal loss to life and properties and rendered millions of people homeless; thousands of cattle perished; crops in lakhs of acres were destroyed. “It is really a critical time for us. It is in these tragic hours that all of us should awaken our humanitarian side. The flood victims need long-term help in rebuilding their lives. Let us all come together to provide succour to their devastated lives,” he said.

Mr Rosaiah asked public and private sector units, corporations, industrial houses, business and trade houses, employees associations, voluntary organizations, Non-Resident Indians, film stars, shops and establishments and people in general to contribute their mite to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and become a partner in this benevolent task. “I assure you that every rupee donated by you will be rightly used for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims,” he said. He also appealed to the donors to handover the flood relief material to the district collectors for proper distribution to the needy.

He said so far, the donations to the CMRF-Flood Relief had crossed more than Rs 30 crore in the last four days, apart from material assistance worth several crores. The contributions were still pouring in at the state and district-level. The departments were working on a mission-mode to provide relief to the people, he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that donations could also be made online through http://cmo.ap.gov.in/cmrf and there would be 100 per cent tax exemption on donations given to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. “This is the time when all people should come together and extend a helping hand to the people in real distress,” he said.