To our readers
Orissa cyclone relief: an appeal

Never has Orissa seen death, devastation and disruption of life on such a scale as the supercyclone has caused. Lush paddy fields have turned into watery graves for human beings and cattle. Everybody has lost the count of the lives lost. Efforts are on to save the starving, the marooned and the disease-hit.

It is a national calamity and the nation has to come to Orissa's aid. Next to manpower, Orissa needs money to rebuild life brick by brick. Millions of rupees are required to reconstruct the ruined huts and vanished roads; to clear the sand-filled streams and canals; and to feed those who have lost their hearth and home. The money has to come from each one of us. It has to go from one Indian to another Indian.

Remember Kargil and the spontaneous national expression of support and solidarity? India has to recapture the spirit and join the battle that the cyclone-hit people of Orissa are fighting. It is not their battle alone. The magnitude of their suffering has made it a national mission. It is a common fight — theirs, yours and ours. Nay, it is more than a fight; it is a challenge and an opportunity to reassert the ancient belief that India is one big, well-knit family and no member is ever alone in joy or sorrow.

We appeal to the readers to rise to the occasion as they did during the Kargil crisis and donate liberally. They should mail crossed cheques or bank drafts/ banker's cheques/ certified cheques payable at Bhubaneswar, favouring "The Orissa Chief Minister's Relief Fund", to the Tribune Office, Sector 29-C, Chandigarh, India. We shall forward these to the authorities concerned who will issue receipts directly to the contributors. Contributions are exempt from income tax under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.

The names of the donors contributing Rs 500 and above will be published in the Tribune group of newspapers.

Editor
The Tribune