Saturday, February 10, 2001

Dear Friends

On Friday the 26^th January 2001 the earth simply tore open causing havoc and destruction in Gujarat. The epicenter of the Earthquake was Kutch – The cities of Bhuj, Anjar and Bachao have been totally destroyed. Hundreds of other villages have been affected- about 50,000 people have been killed and a similar number injured and more than half a million people have been made homeless. The numbers are not true estimate.

Gujarat has suffered a devastating shock like a massive heart attack.

Relief agencies have been slow because of lack of communications and co-ordination. There I snow considerable good will and determination on the part of every Gujarati, every Indian and all humanitarian people to help Gujarat and Kutch particularly in this dreadful hour.

Jamnagar Doctors have many of their loved ones in the area and it is my sincere hope that their relatives and friends have escaped the brunt of the quake- but I am sure they would have witnessed the horror.

We in JDA wish to do every thing possible to help people of Kutch and the rest of Gujarat to rebuild their lives.

We have in the Presidents’ Fund a sum of £4578.17p. It is my sincere hope that you would support my desire to build this sum to a large figure to bring aid to Kutch in the medium term. I say medium term, as in the immediate aftermath after initial lethargy lots of national and international bodies have come to the aid of people of Gujarat. In the next month or two funds will pour from all over the world. Health, Hunger and Shelter the immediate needs and they will also be the needs of the future. It will at least take 2-3 years to rebuild Kutch.

My proposal is as follows:

· We should devote our next reunion to build a large relief fund for the people of Kutch

· To this end we should cancel the Reunion Celebration

· But we must meet at the weekend on Sunday the 8^th April, 2001

· We should all save on the celebration Dinner. Instead donate the sum to the Gujarat Relief Fund.

· On the 8^th April we should arrange a lunch and a short meeting to discuss the affairs of the Association

· And before we depart organise the reunion for the 2002

· Whilst we are together we may discuss and decide as to what form of aid we hope to give.

· Those are my immediate thoughts. I would welcome all forms of discussion and would be happy to receive your letters with donations, telephone calls and e-mails at the following address

E-mail batukkamdar@hotmail.com & batukkamdar@aol.com

Phone 020 8467 9851

Letters 7 Liskeard Close

Chilehurst

Kent BR7 6RT

Batuk Kamdar

Batuk Kamdar

President Jamnagar Doctors’ Association