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Donations are free, loans aren't: Baruah

Tarashankar Sahay in New Delhi

"The donations from foreign countries sent as humanitarian aid are free. But the loans from international agencies like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are repayable," Union Agriculture Secretary Bhaskar Baruah clarified on Wednesday, thus ending the confusion after Prime Minister A B Vajpayee said on Tuesday that the foreign earthquake relief would have to be repaid.

Briefing reporters, Baruah said, "The Gujarat government has begun door-to-door surveys to assess the exact position of death and damage following the earthquake, to enable proper rehabilitation."

He said the state government had formed 30 teams, including officers, a couple of doctors, an ambulance and a full crew of contractors. "These people are spreading out in rural areas for rescue, with supplies of medicines and food," he said.

On the power front, he said, "The situation in Bhuj has improved, but pumping of water is still being done by diesel-generating sets. Army units are helping out and a lot of relief supplies have been airlifted in the last 24 hours."

Among other developments, a ship carrying earthmoving equipment from Bombay reached Kandla port on Wednesday and the position of army and paramilitary personnel was bolstered. At present, there are 22,000 soldiers and 5,000 paramilitary troops working in the quake-hit areas.

More help in the form of 600 tonnes of food and other supplies arrived from Punjab. "Special trains have been sent to various parts of Gujarat. The priority is heavy equipment, including slab-moving equipment and tent and shelter material," Baruah added.

The Complete Coverage | List of earthquake sites

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