Karnataka lawmakers donate month's salary to quake-hit Nepal

Bengaluru, Apr 27: Lawmakers of Karnataka, including cabinet ministers of the ruling Congress have unanimously decided on Monday to contribute one month's salary for relief works in quake-devastated Nepal.

When state Revenue Minister V. Srinvas Prasad appealed to the legislative assembly members to donated their month's salary, opposition leader and former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar responded positively.

All the lawmakers of the 225-member lower house endorsed the appeal and offered to donate a part of their land area development fund to the relief fund. [Nepal may face more earthquakes]

Similarly, lawmakers of the 75-member legislative council have also pledged to donate their April salary to the relief fund.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker N.H. Shivashankara Reddy moved an obituary reference in the lower house, expressing grief over the death of over 3,800 people in the massive earthquake across the Himalayan nation and north Indian states.

In the council, Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy moved the obituary reference and mourned the death of so many people in the calamity.

Both houses also observed a minute silent as a mark of respect to the quake victims.

Meanwhile, a 10-member medical team, including doctors and nurses from the state left for Kathmandu via New Delhi by flight with 200kg medicines and life-saving equipment to provide treatment to the injured in the quake-hit areas.

"Our medical team will assist Nepalese doctors in treating the injured and provide medicines in quake-hit areas of Nepal," Health Minister U.T. Khader told reporters later.

The team includes surgeons and doctors from the state-run K.C. General Hospital, Jayanagar Hospital, Konena Agrahara primary health centre and the Indian Medical Council (Karnataka branch) members.

MPs from the state have also agreed to donate a month's salary for the relief fund.

IANS