3. - usaid

organizing distribution of clothing and milk. It requested girts of cash,
TABC'vaccine, cloth and clothing from sister societies. The East Pakistan
Red Cross assisted 651.000 needy persons duriry: the July and October floods.
Most private in-country donations consisted of food and clot^. There
was little coordination or control over these contributions so no accurate
account can be given of the total assistance. Local business groups gave
2,535,291 rupees (about $525,000 ).
Govemnt loans and grants for emergency relief, rebuilding homes, purchase
of fertilizer, tubewell and embankment repair and for folxl grain totaled
43,295,637 rupees (about $9 million).
The GOEP also participated in a CARE project to build 3,000 low-cost houses
using Cinvaram blocks by contributing 900,000 rupees ($180,000). The
house owners contributed soil, sand and labor.
It was not possible for the GOEP to provide total relief needs from its
own resources. The LEG was asked to donate wheat and to provide f'unds to
assist in the repair and drilling of tubewells.
Important Development in East Pakistan on Disasters
k January 17, 1969, the U. S. PtLssim reported that the GOEP was in the
final stages of Issuing a disaster preparedness program for future emergencies
in this disaster-prone country.
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE U.
S. GOVERMvIEWT
The American Ambassador exercised his disaster relief authority and made
a cash donation of 120,000 rupees to aid in housing reconstruction,
equivalent of ........................... $25,000
Diversion by CARE of 20 tons P.L. 480 vegetable oil valued at ... $ 6,550
The GOEP requested USG wheat donations totaliry: 70,000 metric tons.
AID/Washington approved a contribution of 20,000 tons of wheat under
P.L. 480, Title 11, for free distribution to flood victims. If needed,
consideration will be given later to balance of the request. Estimated
market value and ocean freight cost .............. $2,280,000
A balance of 6,652 tons of corn and 768 tons of wheat of P.L. 480 stocks
previously shipped to EP for free distribution was made available for the
flood victims.
The GQEP also requested f'unds fran the USG to aid In the repair and construction
of tubewells. Recurring floods in East Pakistan destroy marly
wells causing an acute shortage of drinking water; In order to overcane
the problem, the GOEP had previously started a flood relief tubewell construction
program and had been assisted in this by the USG. Following
the October 1966 cyclone 157 tubewells were constructed; 181 after the
May 1965 cyclone and 100 after the December 1965 cyclone. Evaluation of