Tamil Nadu-based environmentalist K Abdul Ghani has initiated a fundraiser through crowdfunding to mobilise resources for draught-hit people and cattle in Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. The target is to raise Rs 5 lakh, which will be utilised to arrange for water, food, and fodder.
Mr Ghani, who has planted over 40 lakh trees across the country, said Rs 1,000 has been collected so far. “India is facing an unprecedented draught and Maharashtra is worst-hit. It is the result of global warming and climate change. It is high time that we all woke up and protected the mother earth,” Mr Ghani told The Hindu . “The Rs 5 lakh, which we are planning to raise, may not be big, but this is the beginning. Crowdfunding will help spread the message that everyone should support the cause.”
Impact Guru, an online crowdfunding platform, is mobilising the funds through the campaign, #OutTheDrought, which has gone live, while NGO World Vision India will be reaching out to the affected with the relief. According to official data, over 90 lakh farmers in Maharashtra have been hit. Mr Ghani said an estimated 2,58,117 households in the seven states are to be covered.
“We can mitigate the impact of the drought through collective efforts,” said Piyush Jain, co-founder and CEO, Impact Guru.
