The Indian industry on Saturday announced fresh measures to provide assistance to the rescue and rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit Kerala.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has set up a task force for relief and rehabilitation efforts in Kerala under the chairmanship of Kris Gopalakrishnan, former CII president and co-founder of Infosys.
CII officials said emergency response centres are being set up in the CII offices in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai to coordinate efforts. The confederation is mapping out both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation efforts, considering the magnitude of damage in different areas.
Local members enlisted
“CII has reached out to its member companies to support and provide basic necessities to the affected people, like food items, medicines, dry rations, utility items, toiletries, packaged drinking water, clothes and bedsheets. Local members in Kerala have been already looped in to support in any way possible,” a CII spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council, the apex body for domestic trade of gems and jewellery, has started collecting funds to help victims of the flood.
“Contributions are coming in from all quarters and we are still in the process of calculating the total amount collected. Meanwhile, a team from our organisation has already reached Kerala and is assisting in every way possible with the on-ground efforts. We will do everything in our power to help our fellow Indians,” Nitin Khandelwal, chairman of the council, said.