QUAKE-WIPED CHAPREDI TAKES REBIRTH; Dr. JOSHI HANDS OVER KEY TO VILLAGE-HEAD

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The quake destroyed Chapredi village in Gujarat has taken rebirth. The village was hardly 17 km from the epi-centre of the devastating earthquake that struck the Kutch region of Gujarat, as the country was preparing to celebrate the Republic Day two years ago i.e. 2001. The Minister for Human Resource Development and Science & Technology, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi specially flew to Bhuj to hand over the key of the newly built village to the village-head. The quake-destroyed village was rebuilt by the Malayala Manorama Charitable Trust, Kerala.

Lauding the effort as true example of selfless service, Dr. Joshi urged other media organisations also to emulate the Malayalam Newspaper. He observed that during the Latur earthquake in Maharashtra also, it was the Malayala Manorama which rushed with funds and other support, to provide succour to the quake-hit people, with public service as a zealous mission. Above all, Dr. Joshi said, it is the people of the Chapredi village who need to be saluted, as they showed extraordinary courage and fortitude in facing the grave tragedy.

Nearly 120 houses of the village have been rebuilt with improved facilities alongwith a temple, mosque, community hall and a bus-shelter. Dr. Joshi wished that a school and a crèche been built, it would have brightened the future of Chapredi. He, however, added that the centre will take care of that and expressed the confidence that the village will achieve cent per cent literacy. He also spoke of the government’s efforts to achieve universalisation of education and others at improving the lot of people living in farthest corners of the country. The government’s ultimate aim is to build a confident, self-reliant and knowledge-based India, Dr. Joshi said.