1.  Flood Relief:

Fiji:  Prolonged torrential rains in the month of January caused one of the worst floods in decades in the western parts of Viti Levu (the largest island in the Republic of Fiji).  Towns and villages were submerged for days and thousands of people huddled in emergency shelters.  Our centre in Nadi immediately started relief services to flood victims. 

The centre served 750 plates of cooked food, distributed 740 kg potatoes, 1200 packets of biscuits, 550 kg dal, 2100 kg rice, 96 packets of milk powder, 1080 litres of milk, 100 packets of salt, 250 packets of tea, 500 bottles of mineral water, etc to more than 1000 families and treated 165 patients in Lautoka, Nadi and Ba.  The relief work is continuing.

India: The following centres conducted post-flood-relief work as stated below.

(a) Bihar: (i) Katihar centre distributed 2500 blankets, 1671 shawls and 309 mufflers to the flood-affected families in Bihar.

(ii) Patna centre distributed 8250 blankets, 1000 shawls, 1000 woolen jackets and 24,750 garments to 4125 flood-affected families of 25 villages in Madhepura, Saharsa and Supaul districts this month.

(b) Orissa: Puri Math distributed 200 saris to flood victims of 3 villages in Orissa.

2.  Winter Relief: 18,039 blankets were distributed through the following centres to poor people in their respective areas: Aalo – 1200, Antpur – 500, Asansol – 707, Bankura – 201, Baranagar Mission (Kolkata) – 500, Belgharia (Kolkata) – 770, Bhubaneswar – 500, Contai – 300, Cooch Behar – 300, Garbeta – 100, Ghatshila – 123, Guwahati – 250, Ichapur – 1100, Jayrambati – 1100, Kamarpukur – 1700, Kanpur – 347, Koalpara (Jayrambati) – 1852, Limbdi – 117, Muzaffarpur – 55, Puri Math – 1000, Ramharipur – 1500, Ranchi Morabadi – 500, Ranchi Sanatorium – 1002, Sikra Kulingram – 1115, Swamiji’s House (Kolkata) – 500, Taki – 700.

Besides, the following centres distributed various winter garments, shown in brackets, to the needy: Belgharia (199 sweaters), Garbeta (125 sweaters), Ichapur (350 shawls), Kanpur (179 sweaters).

3. Distress Relief: The following centres distributed various items, shown in brackets, to poor and needy people in their respective areas: Agartala (400 saris, 110 dhotis and 100 children’s garments), Belgaum (375 kg rice, 375 kg flour, 75 kg edible oil and 75 kg dal), Belgharia (1422 saris, 1536 dhotis, 857 pants, 822 shirts and 1673 children’s garments in 8 villages of G Plot Panchayat, South 24 Parganas district), Bhubaneswar (3965 kg rice, 793 kg dal, 396 litre refined oil, 397 kg salt and 54 kg milk powder in 9 districts of Orissa), Chandigarh (180 kg rice, 180 kg flour, 36 kg dal, 18 kg oil, 36 kg salt and 36 kg sugar), Ichapur (2100 saris and 20 dhotis), Kanpur (50 bed sheets, 60 steel plates and 60 steel glasses), Muzaffarpur (60 saris and 55 dhotis), Porbandar (2756 kg rice, 1250 kg dal, 610 kg sugar, 610 kg oil, 76 kg tea powder and 300 packets of biscuits in 3 villages of Jamnagar and Porbandar districts), Sikra Kulingram (200 saris, 100 dhotis and 100 lungis), Taki (500 saris and 50 dhotis).