776 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড Adequate medical and public health facilities have also been organised from the very beginning. Therefore, we were able to cope with outbreak of cholera in summer months when widespread infection had been brought in by refugees with them in large numbers, and it threatened to spread all over the countryside too. UP to September 20, 1971. 46,752 cases of Cholera were reported, and of these, 5,834 persons died in hospitals, health centers and camps. In this effort too we greatly appreciate the help of all the international agencies who rendered every possible assistance most urgently. The Government of India have alto been specially concerned over incidence of malnutrition among very young children in the camps. So a team of top grade medical experts, under chairmanship of Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, had been set up to survey the problem and suggest a programme for coping with it effectively. UNICEF organizations were also requested to suggest programme of supplementary feeding. Total proposals in this context have already been finally approved by Government of India and "Operation Lifeline" has been started. It will look after over two million children and will cost about Rs. 3 crores (US dollars 4.1 million). Both preventive and clinical requirements of the situation have been fully kept in view while devising total programme. For all medical and para-medical requirements, we have had good, all round response in the country itself, from technical personnel from all over India. That is why we have had to gratefully decline some very generous offers from outside agencies in this behalf, although we do so appreciate the spirit behind it. For feeding refugees. Government of India have fixed scales of rations for adults and children according to advice of its nutritional experts. Thus, every adult gets 300 grams of rice, 100 grams of wheat flour, 100 grams of pulses, 25 grams of edible oil and 25 grams of sugar per head per day; and every child between the age of 1 year and 8 years gets 150 grams of rice, 50 grams of wheat flour, 50 grams of pulses, 12 grams of edible oil and 15 grams of sugar per head per day. Apart from this, a small amount is also provided for each refugee in cash per head per day for the purpose of buying vegetables, spices, fuel, washing soap, etc. Similarly, for clothes, deserving people in camps are being given these-cotton or woolen. With coming of winter now there is urgent requirement of woolen blankets for which we have requested Focal Point specially. Arrangements have also been made within these camps for providing basic education to children through refugee teachers who are given token honorarium for this work. Adult education through audio-visual methods is also organized in settled camps. However, no institutionalized form of education has been organized in view of fact that these refugees (all registered as foreigners) have to be soon returning to their homes. Refugees themselves are being encouraged to carry out recreational and welfare activities within camps on self-help basis. Unattached women's homes and orphanages have also been established near these relief camps so as to keep these women and children in their own environment and in context of their kinship and culture. We in India are deeply appreciative of efforts so far made by several Governments, combined U.N. Agencies and other voluntary organizations for providing relief assistance to refugees. At the moment, according to latest figures, total amount committed is approximately 154 million US dollars. This, however, as Committee itself will
