Earthqauke unites foes

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Bhuj unites Kashmir foes

Ahmedabad, Jan. 30: In a rare gesture of friendship, a Pakistani

plane, carrying relief material for the earthquake victims in

Gujarat, landed on Tuesday afternoon after a heated row over whether

India had initially turned down its foe's offer for help.

The relief consignment was sent on behalf of the Pakistan government

and included tents and blankets. It was handed over to the State

government officials for distribution to the quake victims, official

sources said. More relief was likely to arrive from Pakistan in the

next few days, the sources added.

 

It marked an end, at least temporarily, to the two-day-old dispute

which arose after the quake devastated Gujarat and hit parts of

Pakistan in which some people died. Pakistan Chief Executive Gen

Pervez Musharraf made a statement that India turned down his offer of

assistance.

 

On Monday, India reacted saying the offer was not turned down and

that details of relief material needed were being given to Pakistan.

And so, the Pakistani plane was allowed to land in Gujarat, a State

bordering Pakistan.

 

The two nations are locked in a row over Jammu and Kashmir where

India has accused Pakistan of backing militant groups indulging in

violence in the State. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's

ceasefire in Kashmir was recently extended till February 25, the

second such extension.

 

Meanwhile, an IANS report from Oslo said a Hercules plane carrying a

ready-for-use 350-bed field hospital left on Tuesday for Bhuj, the

worst hit town in devastated Gujarat.

 

"Indian military authorities have assured us the airport outside Bhuj

would be ready for landing, thereby saving an overland mobile

transportation from Ahmedabad requiring a minimum 13 hours," a relief-

effort spokesman said.

 

"The situation in Gujarat is far more unpredictable than it was in

other places. I have never experienced anything comparable to the

conditions in Bhuj," Halvor Fossum Lauritzen, Norwegian earthquake-

relief veteran, who has assisted in all major quakes in recent years,

and is spearheading the International Red Cross operation in Bhuj,

told journalists.

 

"Relief workers have no possibility whatever of working in any house,

since none are left standing," Lauritzen said.

 

"Hence the risk from plunderers on the rampage is enormous. However,

the police have pledged to guard the field-hospital which we will

erect a little away from the centre."

 

"The buildings are clearly of a far worse quality than even in

Turkey. There they at least had an effective rescue-system. Anything

of that nature is absolutely non-existent here," Lauritzen said.

 

The hospital will be operational the moment it is unloaded and

assembled, within hours of arrival, said relief workers in Oslo who

have previously worked in similar catastrophes recently in Turkey and

South America.

 

 

 

 

 

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Pak aid aircraft arrives in Gujarat

 

AHMEDABAD, Jan 30 (UNI)

 

A Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, carrying relief material for the

quake victims of Gujarat, arrived at the Sardar Patel International

Airport here this noon, while two more planes with aid will be coming

in the next two days.

The aircraft, which landed at 1:35 p.m. at the airport, carries 200

tents and 2,500 blankets, Director-General of Pakistan's Emergency

Relief Cell Ilyas Hussein, who accompanied the aid team, told

newspersons here. The Indian Air Force planes will carry the relief

materials provided by Islamabad to Bhuj.

Expressing profound grief over the Gujarat tragedy, Mr Ilyas

said, ''What we have brought here is a goodwill gesture. We expect

good relations with India.''

On the impact of the January 26 quake in parts of Pakistan, he said

the effect was minor. Another consignment of relief goods will be

flown to India tomorrow, with a third one to follow on February 1, an

official statement in Islamabad said.

Among the other foreign nations which offered help today were

Australia, Italy and France.

Australia increased its emergency assistance by providing another

tranche of about Rs 3.9 crore. Earlier, it donated about Rs 2.57

crore.

An Italian mission led by Deputy Director of Ministry for Foreign

Affairs Co-operation Division Massimo Lannucci reached Bhuj this

morning to assess the damage by the earthquake.

Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs Lamberto Dini pledged an aid of

about US $25 lakh. Two special aircraft, carrying generators, tents,

blankets and equipment to purify drinking water, from Rome are

expected to reach Rapar very soon.