On Sunday, a part of the Nanda Devi glacier in Uttarakhand broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli district, leading to large-scale flooding in the Dhauli Ganga and Alaknanda rivers, and damaging hydroelectric projects and houses among other things.
More than 200 people had initially been feared dead, and rescue personnel are working through the night as they try to extricate those trapped. The State Disaster Response Fund (SRDF) said on Monday that as many as 26 bodies had been recovered from different areas, while 197 people were still missing.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had earlier directed the SDRF to release Rs 20 crore in funds for rescue and relief operations in the state.
Against this backdrop, those located in other parts of the country can help in various ways. The Press Information Bureau in Uttarakhand has shared numbers and helplines on which the affected can call for assistance.
While many on social media platforms have made attempts to support the rescue and relief operation by sharing the details such as helpline numbers, others have come forward to donate funds. Here's how you can join in.
Also known as the Mukhya Mantri Rahat Kosh, the CMRF is an emergency assistance scheme for granting relief to deserving families and individuals affected by natural calamities, including floods. Donations made to the fund are 100% exempted under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, and payments can be made both online and offline.
According to the UKCMRF website, payments can be made by directly depositing an amount into the account of the Mukhya Mantri Rahat Kosh, or via UPI. These payments should be addressed to "cmukrf@sbi" VPA, or you can scan the QR code given in the image below. If you're using UPI, you can make payments through several apps, including the BHIM app, Paytm, Phone Pe, and Google Pay.
You can also log on to the donation section of Paytm and search for Mukhya Mantri Rahat Kosh, or click on the relevant link to make payments to the fund directly from your Paytm wallet.
