Aid worth Rs 30 lakh to be sent to Manipuri diaspora in Myanmar
Many join hands to extend assistance
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 02 2021:
Business and Service groups of Manipur have come together to send assistance worth Rs 30 lakh to aid in the fight against the pandemic by the Manipuri diaspora in Mandalay region of Myanmar.
Dr Kh Palin, Managing Director and Chairman of Shija hospitals said this at a press conference held today at Hotel Classic Grande and added that Myanmar has poor health infrastructure and owing to the current law and order situation there, the exact data on the severity of the pandemic is also not available.
However, with recent SOS sounded by Manipuri diaspora in Myanmar to extend help to them all the Business Groups and Service Groups of Manipur held a virtual meeting yesterday and was able to gather a contribution worth Rs 30 lakh in money and kinds, he added.
Many groups have contributed money, Oxygen Concentrator, medical kits and pharmaceutical items.
He added that the priority will be given to the Manipuri diaspora in Mandalay region and other regions will be covered in a latter phase.
As there have been no formal requests from the Myanmar Government to India, both the Central and the State Government are unable to initiate any relief measures for the people, he added.
As sending the relief items through the Ministry of External Affairs or Consulate General would be time consuming, the plan is to send them by road, Dr Palin told the media.
However, the group is in touch with Minister of State for External Affairs Dr RK Ranjan regarding the condition of the Manipuri diaspora in Myanmar and he has also stated the need to vaccinate more than 6 million people in Sagaing state.
The group has also requested Rotary Club, Association of Healthcare Providers of India and other organisations to contribute to help Myanmar in battling the pandemic but without Manipur working in the forefront nobody will come out to help Manipuri diaspora in the region, Dr Palin added.
He appealed the people of the State to contribute towards the relief measures undertaken for the Manipuri diaspora in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary of Manipur has also directed IGAR (South) and Tengnoupal DC to open Gate 1 and Gate 2 of Indo Myanmar Border for movement of COVID-19 relief materials as per the directives of the Ministry of External Affairs (Bangladesh-Myanmar Division) .
It is noteworthy to remember that recently Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS) had written to the Prime Minister to send relief materials and aid to Myanmar to fight the pandemic.