Ahmedabad: In an expression of corporate conscience, several IT softwaremajors have floated a unique search'n'match platform -www.IndiaQuakeHelp.com - to help locate people separated by the severeearthquake that hit several parts of Gujarat on January 26.Tens and thousands of people have died and injured in Bhuj, Anjar, Bhachau,Rapar, Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot and elsewhere in the quake. The numberof people whose houses have been razed to grounds is still higher. TheWebsite seeks to bring succour to such people.
The Website has been promoted by Ahmedabad-based ebizchem.com, a globale-service portal for the chemicals industry, in collaboration with NIIT Ltd,Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), ECOM, IceNet, besides non-governmentorganisations (NGOs).According to ebizchem.com chief executive officer Suhrid Shah: "This is atwo-way search engine to share news by people searching for the whereaboutsof the quake-hit as well as those living in the quake-affected areas keen toinform their relatives and friends about their welfare.''
According to Mr Shah over 3,500 entries have already been loaded on theportal since it was launched a fortnight ago, with people from abroad tooenquiring about the welfare of their near and dear ones. It took some timeto conceive and then launch the e-service but it is now that the service isgetting good response from both the sides.
He observed that the first priority of a large number of people, who havebeen affected, was to provide rescue and medical treatment to othersaffected.
Since it requires a massive effort to register all the data of the people,it has asked NGOs working at different quake-hit sites to provide the inputfrom different towns.
While the Website has been designed by strategic consultant Rajiv Badlanifrom conceptualisation to implementation stage, Mr Shah said, NavneetPublications has also chipped in with providing offline help in filling upthe forms for the database.
He said that those who do not have access to computers could get the helpfrom those who have Internet exposure or cyber cafes. He has also requestedpeople to announce this service at railway stations, bus stops, hospitals orgas stations. Several NGOs like Swaminarayan Sanstha and Vishwa HinduParishad are involved with the project.
The Website works in the following ways:
Someone looking for friends and relatives in the quake-hit areas cansearch for the whereabouts on the basis of name (a) christian or (b) surnameor (c) old address.Someone who is himself dislocated and want his friends and relatives toknow about his latest status can post a message on the site with new contactdetails.Someone whose name has not been put in the database can leave a message,even on an email address and it would be automatically shot back.Someone needs more help/details can email to:givehelp@indiaquakehelp.com or suhrid@indiaquakehelp.co.Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
