His Excellency Ambassador/ High Commissioner

Madam/Sir

We are a group of concerned citizens who have come together to form an initiative called Bihar Chintan. We are dedicating ourselves to arrange for emergency humanitarian aid for the flood ravaged people of Bihar. Towards this end, we met at the Indian Social Institute, Lodhi Colony on 22^nd July 2004. At the moment a team of Bihar Chintan and concerned citizens is in Bihar assessing the damage caused by the flood, the relief assistance required and identifying the agencies, institutions and individuals for the distribution of flood relief.

Although there are numerous reports in the newspapers about the devastation caused by the flood, we take this opportunity to emphasise that the flood this year has been the most devastating in the last 100 years. Almost the entire north Bihar is in the grip of flood which has led to untold misery and devastation. According to some estimates, more than 20 million people in 19 districts of Bihar have been affected by the flood. The official death toll due to flood has exceeded 300. Bihar being one of the poorest states of India can ill afford to withstand natural calamity of such a magnitude.

We are appealing to the govt. to declare it a national calamity. A number of relief agencies are working hard to reach the relief supplies to the affected people of Bihar. However, the magnitude of the calamity is such that the resources are proving to be extremely inadequate. In concrete terms the people will require Polythene sheets to make temporary shelters on the railway tracks, roads or whatever place is still not flooded, medicines for diarrhoea, fever, other water-borne diseases, basic supply of food grain for which Chura (flattened rice) and Jaggery are the most appropriate, Halogen Tablets for the purification of water since the shortage of drinking water is the most acute one, emergency provision of bore-well at select place, some kind of cloth. These are needed urgently for distribution among the flood affected. The threat of epidemic looms large after the flood-water starts receding. The impact of the devastating flood will continue to be felt for a long time by the poverty stricken people of Bihar but the coming few months will be crucial for them in deciding the question of life and death.

We appeal to you to provide through your good offices whatever relief can be arranged for the flood-affected people of Bihar. We can discuss with you the modalities of the way money and relief material can be reached to the most affected and needy people of Bihar. We seek your indulgence and time to come out in support of such a huge humanitarian tragedy confronted by the people of Bihar. We are willing and ready to come to meet you or your representative at the place and time decided by mutual convenience.

Yours truly,

Vagish Kumar Jha, Cell no. 9868249634 or 9810216943

With Vijay Pratap (011-33444402 ), Harsh Mander (9810523018), Apoorvanand (011-51642147), Kishan Kaljayee (9868452176), Dr. Anil Thakur (9810491822), Prakash Louis, Basant, Hemant, Rajendra Ravi (9818758511), Rakesh Bhatt (986829639) Anil Mishra and a number of other friends of Bihar.

Contact:

Bihar Chintan (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam)

DA 9A, DDA Flats,

Munirka, New Delhi-110067

Ph: 011-26717813, 26713252

List of Embassies to which the appeal has been sent:

infoausaid@...  australia
aedelhi@...  austria
ambabel@...  belgium
brasindi@...   Brazil
bulemb@...  bulgaria
delhi@...  Canada
denmark@...  Denmark
Delegation-india@... delegation of european union
sanomat.nde@...  Finland
webmaster@... France
germany@...  Germany
hellemb@...  Greece
huembdel@... Hungary
iembassy@... Indonesia
iranemin@...  Iran
ireland@...  Ireland
italemb@... Italy
libya@...  Libya  
mhcnd@...  Mauritius
embamexindia@... Mexico
sifamand@... morocco
nde@...   netherlands
noramb@...   norway
pananid@...  Panama
phndelhi@... Phillipines
emportin@... Portugal
emrond@...  Romania
indrusem@... Russia
singhnd@... Singapore
embspain@... Spain
lankacom@... Srilanka
highcommissioner@... South Africa
embassy.new.delhi@... Sweden
Vertretung@... switzerland
tanzrep@... Tanzania
thaiemb@...  Thailand
temdelhi@... Turkey
postmaster.NewDelhi@... Britain
newdelhi@...  US
embavene@... Venezuela
sqdelhi@... Vietnam
yemenemb@... Yemen
zvezda@...  Yugoslavia
zambiand@... Zambia
zimdelhi@...  Zimbabwe