PRAKASH M SWAMY
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin has appealed to Non Resident Tamils living all over the world to contribute generously to Chief Ministers Public Relief Fund even as Covid-19 cases touch new heights in the southern State of India.
“At a time when there is a medical and financial crisis, you should come forward to associate yourselves with the task of protecting people,” he said in a video message to Non Resident Tamils.
He assured that the contributions would be used only for the purchase of beds, vaccines and medicines. “The details will be made public and such donations will be exempted from Income Tax,” he said.
Tamil Nadu reported 31,892 new Covid-19 cases and 288 deaths on May 14, pushing the number of active cases in the state to nearly 2 lakhs. The cumulative case tally crossed the 15-lakh mark while the toll was revised to 17,056. While health experts say it is too early to see the effect of lockdown on fresh cases, the vaccination centers are facing the heat. On March 14, 52,730 people took the vaccine compared to 92,732 the previous day.
Hospitals scrambled for supplies of lifesaving oxygen as Tamil Nadu reported a spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths, straining the state’s resources, overwhelming the healthcare system and leaving doctors and nurses exhausted.
In Chennai, there were tense moments overnight at the VHS hospital, which has more than 50 oxygen-dependent patients, 30 of them in the ICU, as oxygen supplies fell to dangerously low levels — just enough for 20 minutes — a little before midnight. The oxygen truck arrived in the nick of time and supplied 1,000 liters of liquid medical oxygen.
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As the State reels under the second wave of Covid-19 infection, a rare fungal infection threatens patients who have recovered from the viral infection, especially those who are diabetic and received oxygen or steroids support.
Meanwhile, Stalin has instructed his Cabinet colleagues and party leaders not to accept any shawls, garlands, bouquets and gifts from either party men or public in view of the grave situation. He also warned party men not to indulge in any victory celebrations or rally and asked those who are calling on him in Secretariat to present only books instead of shawls, garlands and bouquets. These books will be donated to government schools, he said. He has emphasized the wearing of masks by all the state government employees and public and violators would be fined Rs 200 ($3) for the first offense.
Stalin, for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu, has set up a separate Non Resident Tamils Ministry and made Gingee Masthan as its Minister. His job is to coordinate Non Resident Tamils across the globe and seek their help in investments and donation in times of calamity. He will also be readily available if any Tamil faces any problems outside India and handle issues such as bringing the body to Tamil Nadu especially from the Gulf.
America Tamil Sangam in New York has congratulated Stalin on becoming Chief Minister and assured its support and cooperation in developing the State. It said Stalin is no stranger to the US and had visited New York several times and had interacted with the Tamils of Tristate area.
Earlier in the year his DravidaMunnetraKazhagam (DMK) party launched NRIs Welfare wing aimed at uniting and protecting the rights of Tamils living across the globe. DMK’s decision to begin a wing for the overseas Indians comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) mulled allowing NRIs to vote in elections.
Stalin announced the formation of the NRI welfare wing and had promised that a separate department would be formed for Tamilians living abroad once the DMK government comes to power. Further, Stalin also claimed to fulfill DMK patriarch Karunanidhi’s promise to Tamils with the formation of this wing. The DMK has a sizeable number of supporters among NRIs living in various countries.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund
Indian Overseas Bank, Secretariat Branch
Account Number: 11720 10000 00070
Branch: Secretariat Branch, Chennai 600 009
IFSC: IOBA0001172
SWIFT CODE: IOBAINBB001
CMPRF PAN: AAAGC0038F
MICR Code: 600020081
Donations are exempted from Income Tax
