President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday flagged off nine trucks carrying Red Cross relief supplies for the flood- and coronavirus -affected people of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh from Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, according to an official statement.
The relief material included items such as tarpaulins, tents, saris, dhotis, cotton blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, bed sheets, buckets and two water purification units, it said.
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“In addition, COVID-19 protection items such as surgical masks, PPE kits, gloves and face shields are also part of the relief material flagged off by President Kovind, the statement said.
At least 28.32 lakh people in 26 districts of Assam have been affected by the floods . The number of people who have lost their lives in floods and landslides in the northeastern State this year has gone up to 119. While 93 of them died in flood-related incidents, 26 were killed in landslides.
In Bihar, over 7.65 lakh people have been affected across its 10 districts. Close to 14,000 people have been lodged at 28 relief camps set across the affected districts, while nearly 80,000 were being fed at 192 community kitchens, officials had said Thursday.
Uttar Pradesh has reported 58,104 COVID-19 confirmed cases. Of these, 35,803 have been cured/discharged and 21,012 are active cases. As many as 1,289 people have lost their lives due to the coronavirus, according to the latest Health Ministry data.
Assam and Bihar have reported 28,791 and 31,980 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these, 20,699 and 20,769 have been cured respectively in Assam and Bihar. A total of 70 people have lost their lives in Assam and 217 in Bihar.
These items are meant to safeguard and protect health workers associated with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) medical services in these States as well as the volunteers of IRCS who are at the forefront of flood relief and rehabilitation efforts, it said. Mr. Kovind is the also the President of the IRCS.
“These relief supplies for the flood-affected people of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh shall be carried from Delhi to the States by train and will be received by the State Red Cross branches of respective States,” the statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan was also present during the event.
The supply of the these material is in continuation and in addition to the material already provided by IRCS to be distributed by the State Red Cross branches to the affected people, it said.
On the occasion of flagging off, R.K. Jain, General Secretary, IRCS, briefed the President on the initiatives and the work done by IRCS to serve the people affected by floods and COVID-19 in various parts of the country, the statement said.
Officials of the President’s secretariat and IRCS were also present on the occasion, it said.
