Reliance Foundation on Monday announced 10-point relief measures for those affected in the Odisha train accident. Reliance Founder and Chairperson Nita Ambani expressed condolences and said that team from the foundation continues to provide round-the-clock aid and assistance to the injured at the incident site. According to the statement released by the non-profit organisation, it will take care of essentials including ration, medical and employment opportunities to the keen of the victims. Besides, it also pledged to provide support aids to people with disabilities, including wheelchairs, and artificial limbs.
Here are the key points:
- Free fuel for ambulances dealing with the disaster through Jio-BP network.
- Provision of free ration supplies, including flour, sugar, dal, rice, salt and cooking oil, for the next six months to affected families through Reliance stores.
- Free medicines for injured to support their immediate recovery needs; medical treatment for those needing hospitalization due to the accident.
- Counselling services for emotional and psychosocial support.
- Providing employment opportunities through Jio and Reliance Retail to one family member of the deceased, as needed.
- Provision of support aids to people with disabilities, including wheelchairs, and artificial limbs.
- Specialist skill training for those impacted to find new employment opportunities.
- Microfinance and training opportunities for women who may have lost their sole earning family member
- Provide livestock such as cow, buffalo, goat, and poultry for alternate livelihood support to rural families impacted by the accident
- Free mobile connectivity to a family member of the bereaved for a year to enable them to rebuild their livelihood.
Reliance Foundation's specialist disaster management team closely coordinated with the Emergency Section
According to the statement issued by Reliance Foundation, it said that a team of the foundation's specialist disaster management team closely coordinated with the Emergency Section, Collectorate, Balasore, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
"Present at Balasore since the accident took place, Reliance Foundation's specialist disaster management team closely coordinated with the Emergency Section, Collectorate, Balasore, and National Disaster Response Force. Helping passengers quickly evacuate coaches and rushing injured to emergency vehicles, to immediately make available masks, gloves, ORS, bedsheets, lighting and other necessities for rescue at the site of the accident," the statement said. "Reliance Foundation volunteers were also involved in the rescue making gas cutters available to evacuate passengers trapped in coaches; also mobilized other volunteers from nearby communities for the efforts," it added.
Odisha train disaster
It is worth mentioning the country witnessed the biggest rail tragedy in the past two decades where at least 275 people were killed in the accident while more than 1,000 were injured. Earlier on Saturday, preliminary investigations claimed that the Coromandel Express train involved in a horrific rail tragedy in Odisha on Friday entered the loop line and crashed into a goods train parked there instead of the main line just ahead of the Bahanagar Bazar station. The coaches of Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express capsized after crashing into the coaches of Coromandel Express that had scattered on the adjacent track.
