Canada 1st to Respond and Rush Relief to Kathmandu
By Ameya Sathaye, CEO & Editor & V N Jha, Strategic Affairs Editor
New Delhi, June 12 : The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner in India Mr. Jess Dutton has commended India’s magnificent role in rushing relief in terms of funds, men and materials and medicines to the quake affected people in Nepal recently.
“India needs to be commended for its response to the earthquake; they were first on the ground and provided significant assistance. Also, India responded to Canada’s request by allowing Canadian citizen’s access to India by granting visa on arrival. “, the Deputy High Commissioner told Diplomacy India Strategic Affairs Editor VN Jha in an interview.
The Deputy High Commissioner said we evacuated 100 individuals from quake affected Nepal successfully, thanks to India. If India hadn’t granted visa on arrival for those coming from Nepal we would have had great difficulty in bringing Canadians to safety.
Canada is still focussing on humanitarian response. We should have an announcement coming out in coming weeks with additional contributions. In consultations with our allies, international financial institutions, we will determine the future role of Canada for further relief and rescue operations with a definite plan, the Deputy High Commissioner said. :
Canada was the first country to respond to the crisis in Nepal, the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner pointed out saying we not only responded to humanitarian assistance, but also partnered with United Nations also to deploy disaster assistance response teams. Both military and humanitarian operation was deployed around Kathmandu and also outside of the city, he said..
Canada supported the deployment of a Canadian Red Cross relief hospital. We had. four different shipments. Canada deployed US$10 million dollars’ worth of humanitarian assistance, he said. .
He pointed out that the earthquake occurred during the busy trekking season. We were not entirely sure how many Canadians were trapped in Nepal at the time of earthquake. But active consulate activities were able to determine the number at over 500. We were able to provide assistance to the consulate in Kathmandu in terms of additional counsellor officers to help. Two relief flights were organised to evacuate over 100 individuals, he said.
With regards to reconstruction efforts and humanitarian response, Envoy said that “Canada is ready to pitch in with addition contributions and will also be attending the International Donors Conference being held on June 25, 2015 in Kathmandu.”
( Interview by Ameya Sathaye, CEO & Editor, Diplomacyindia.com & V N Jha , Strategic Affairs Editor, Diplomacyindia.com and additional back grounding by T N Ashok, Diplomatic Editor.)