Posted on 12/29/2004 12:52:53 AM PST by Piefloater
INDIA has turned down foreign aid for victims of the tsunami that has killed tens of thousands of people across Asians, because it has "adequate resources", a government official said today.
India had been flooded with generous offers of aid, the official said.
"In fact, all friendly nations have offered help, but we feel we do have the resources to handle the situation," he said.
"If at a later stage we feel we need assistance we will not hesitate to ask.
"Right now we not only have adequate resources but have gone out and mounted a huge relief effort for Sri Lanka and Maldives. We could not have done this if we were facing a problem in Indian relief operations."
The Indian Government said it had sent warships, helicopters and aircraft to distribute food, medicines and blankets to neighbouring Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and had promised more than over $US23 million ($30m) in monetary aid.
The official noted that India had not taken up the offers of help because Sunday's disaster was not of the same magnitude for India as an earthquake that struck the western state of Gujarat in January 2001, killing 20,000 people.
"This disaster is just not of the same scale or magnitude of the Gujarat earthquake," he said.
"In comparison to the Gujarat earthquake we have the resources to handle the situation at this juncture."
India's government and UN and local aid agencies have begun distributing survival packs to at least 160,000 people left homeless along the mainland coast, with demand expected to grow for food, water and shelter.
Not to worry. The US is cornering the market on fast food and cheap stores selling chinese made goods.
Well that's a good thing.
Maybe India is a good model for other countries in the region to get their economies and collective governments in gear then?
Very cool image.
Before this thread diverts to outsourcing (read India bashing) I would like to point out a few more things.
India has made brilliant strides in disaster management and relief operations with the aid of serious homegrown technology but we still have our share of problems. India mind u is a disaster prone country and has regular floods, droughts and earthquakes. India has a vibrant but chaotic democracy and a tardy bureaucracy and hence is often slow to react. While India has in place world class early warning systems to detect cyclonic storms, a giant tidal wave wasnt anticipated before and even if it had been in place it is still an enormous task (u also need the necessary equipments) to get the message to every costal village in India in such a short time (mind u India is a big country).
Sounds like the US...
I wont bash India too much for outsourcing. How can you blame them for accepting jobs that are coming into their country and hence generating revenue for the services we are talking about?
And the character of their government.
If Paul Ehrlich were dead, he'd be spinning in his grave.
Thank you for that information.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the folks in India ... they took a nasty hit with this tsunami
Indonesia was probably hit much harder and is economically less prosperous.
If we play the Islamofascist card right, they can be.
So, they are like the USA, they rally together to help their own?
Bravo for India. Foreign aid money can now be spread amongt third-world hellholes like Somalia and the UN Headquarters. Looks like Kofi will make his yacht payment this month.
after we find Osama...
unfortunately we need a friendly Pakistan to seal their border.
I know they suck at it, but its easier to work with them if they dont see us snuggling up to India....
Gee, they are a lot more lit than Australia.
A nation of a billion that can afford nukes a large military, the latest fighter; can afford to instigate/coordinate a buoy warning system for the Indian Ocean Rim..
I wasn't mocking India; please believe that. I was merely reacting to a country, ANY country, NOT taking money that is offered.
It is to be admired.
This is so fabulous to read.
Considering the fact that two years ago, during Hurricane Isabel, one of the counties in North Carolina that Isabel didn't even come close to and/or hit had the highest requests for "storm aid," that surely is heartening to hear.
Believe me, we weren't denigrating India; just the fact that a country would actually take care of itself! You have to realize that some countries that don't need it will take it!
It also helps that the states which were affected(barring the Andaman & Nicobar islands) have pretty strong economic & social infrastructure(Hospitals/responsive civic administrations/NGOs/volunteers) when compared to the rest of the country.That itself eases the strain considerably.
BTW,I have a bravo for you Aussies,your planes landed in Indonesia even before anyone talked of sending aid-that's how civilised folks behave(though you may not get anything in return)!!!!!!
good. they've not aided us in Iraq.
Australia is mostly empty - almost the same size as the 48 contiguous US states with only 20 million people. Nearly everyone is clustered around the south east and east coast, with a smaller cluster in the west. The centre of the country is remarkably empty without a lot of lights.
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