NE states pitch in for Kerala

Aizawl/Agartala: Mizoram and Tripura have promised Rs 2.34 crore and Rs 1 crore relief aid for flood-ravaged Kerala.

Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla wrote to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, expressing solidarity with the people of Kerala and promising Rs 2 crore towards disaster relief efforts, a statement said.

"The government of Mizoram has decided to extend financial aid of Rs 2 crore to the government of Kerala as a token of contribution and measure of our solidarity with the people of Kerala," Lal Thanhawla said. In a separate letter, he informed Vijayan that all the 34 MLAs of the ruling Congress in Mizoram have decided to contribute Rs 1 lakh each, in the hope that it may alleviate a small portion of the immense hardships currently being faced by the people of Kerala.

In Tripura, law and education minister Ratan Lal Nath told reporters that the council of ministers decided to donate Rs 1 crore as flood relief to Kerala at a special meeting held at the secretariat here on Monday. "The meeting was called to discuss the situation in Kerala and the council of ministers observed one minute's silence in respect of the departed souls," he added.

The Chief Justice and other judges of Tripura High Court and all judicial officers and staff members of the high court and district judiciary have also decided to contribute one day's salary to the Kerala chief minister's distress relief fund, amounting to around Rs 16 lakh, high court registrar S.G. Chattopadhyay said in a release.

Supporters of the Opposition Left Front started collecting donations on Tuesday, former Deputy Speaker and CPM leader Pabitra Kar told reporters, adding that the collection drive would continue till August 31.

School of Science, a coaching institute for competitive examinations, has decided to donate Rs. 50,000 to the Kerala chief minister's distress relief fund and also observed two minutes' silence as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives in Kerala.

The governments of Nagaland and Assam have already donated Rs 1 crore and Rs 3 crore respectively to Kerala.

Prayer for flood-hit: The NSCN (I-M), a militant group in ceasefire in Nagaland, will hold a special prayer on Sunday to mourn the deaths and devastation caused by floods in Kerala.