Cyclone Thane first report
Dear friends, sorry for the 3 days long silence but Auroville has no power and very unstable telephone & Internet connections since the 30th. We switched off all systems to protect the equipment. From Monday we’ll cover extensively the Thane Cyclone’s effects in the region. Auroville suffered damages but not people died or get injured. All the working groups are working hard to recover the basic infrastructures. Please read the READ MORE section for an official announcement. In the audio file OM by Nadaka as well wishing for the new year.
A Fund has been instituted to help repair all damage done due to the recent cyclone. We are making a wide appeal for help to all friends of Auroville, State Government, and Government of India to participate in this relief work.
Calls expressing concern have been received from the Chairman, Auroville Foundation, one (former member of the Governing board, the Secretary to GOI in charge of Auroville, and from a large number of well-wishers of Auroville. A special e-mail id is being created to receive all messages of concern and support to Auroville.
Auroville Cyclone Relief Help Desk has been created by the Working Committee and Auroville Council. This desk has started functioning today from the Working Committee office. Tomorrow onwards a more dedicated help desk will start functioning in coordination with Housing and LAvenir. Anyone needing assistance could send request by email to cyclonehelp@auroville.org.in or call following numbers Vijaya 9943573340 Arun 9443535084 and Kali 9443090114 or Landline 0413 2622143. We would like to invite volunteers to manage the Help Desk. We will keep updating news about this desk.
The restoration of TNEB electricity supply will take at least ten days. We are doing everything possible to assist the Electrical Service in this task. In the meanwhile we are asking the Water Service and Electrical Service to rent or buy 3 more generators so that pumps can be activated where there is a water shortage. Please contact the Water Service (Babu: cell 9443085046; Shanmugam: 9442992371; Nagappan 9443627117.
Electrical Service for this purpose Prakash 9443534839 and Abri AVES Mobile Kathiresan 94488868747 and landline 0413 2622132.
Tree Clearing Service: LRM 0413 2622657, Sandeep 9786775958, Arun 9443535084, Ramesh 9443090107.
We have decided to close the Matrimandir to visitors till Pongal It is the minimum time needed to recover from the impact of the cyclonic damage to Auroville. Tourists may come to the Visitors Centre, which will remain open.
We have requested the LRM and Security to collect all the wood lying on the Auroville roads and paths to be stored at a collective place and used for the benefit of Auroville. If any person has incurred expenditure in cutting these trees/wood please submit your expense statement to one of the help desks for reimbursement. We request all to cooperate with LRM and Security in this matter.
The woods lying around is the collective asset of Auroville. We strongly advise not to sell or gift to anyone.
We also encourage the Forest and Farm stewards to consider all fallen trees as an asset of Auroville and create a cooperative(as it was done during the last cyclone) to deal with the wood for Aurovilles collective benefit.
The Working Committee with representatives from: Auroville Council, FAMC, Auroville Security, Fund Raising Group, LAvenir d’Auroville Auroville & Housing group.
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