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Nationwide quake relief help
By Li Fangfang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-02 10:27 The May 12 earthquake could be a permanent nightmare for people in disaster-hit Sichuan province as well as parts of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. However, the disaster won't destroy their futures as it did their homes, businesses and schools. Their compatriots in every corner of China are making effort to help them dispel the macabre memory. Above all, helping supply safe and clean shelter for the tens of millions of quake victims is a priority. To provide reconstruction help, the Ministry of Civil Affairs on May 22 delivered a notice to provincial civil affairs bureaus to ensure province-to-county coordinated support for the seriously shocked areas. According to the notice, 21 provinces and municipalities will work with one county each in Sichuan province to help provide temporary shelter and aid in reconstruction work. Beijing and Tianjin shoulder the double responsibilities of supporting one more city in Gansu province each. Guizhou and Qinghai provinces, Ningxia Hui, Xinjiang Uygur and Tibet autonomous regions and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which do not have coordinated support tasks, will assist quake-hit areas in Shaanxi province in shelter and rebuilding. It's also a way to lighten the heavy task of collecting and transporting relief supplies, especially tents and temporary houses, for the stricken provinces and counties. Luo Pingfei, vice-minister of civil affairs said on May 24 that the Chinese Government has ordered 900,000 tents from 75 domestic manufacturers, with all of the tents to be delivered before June 20. Beginning May 30, more than 30,000 tents were shipped from manufacturers around the country to Sichuan each day . However, they are still far from enough. The total demand for tents and temporary homes is more than 3.3 million, says Gao Yucheng, an official of Department of Disaster and Social Relief with the ministry. The 8-magnitude quake, centered in Wenchuan, Sichuan province, destroyed 5.36 million rooms of housing and damaged 21.43 million others, according to figures from the ministry. Shelters for the newly homeless are the most needed materials, say more than 110,000 military and civilian rescuers there. According to the notice, the provinces have to provide temporary shelters for every homeless refugee in the first phase of relief, and help their counties on reconstruction work. "The efficient and effective coordinated support has been recognized by the other ministries as well the State Council," an official of civil affairs tells China Business Weekly via telephone. (For more biz stories, please visit Industries)
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