Auto industry does its bit for earthquake-hit Nepal

A number of automotive companies, both Indian and global, are providing a helping hand towards relief efforts following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25.

Mahindra & Mahindra is providing tractors and pick-up vehicles to the Nepal government through its local distributor for rehabilitation work. Anand Mahindra, chairman and managing director, Mahindra Group, said: “At Mahindra, our heart goes out to the victims of this unfortunate tragedy. The pain of Nepal is felt by each member of the Mahindra family. We do hope and pray that our humble support helps the earthquake victims in Nepal and in India to get back to normalcy at the earliest”.

Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford employees will provide more than $200,000 (Rs 1.26 crore) in emergency assistance for earthquake victims in Nepal. Ford Fund will contribute $50,000 (Rs 31.58 lakh) to a disaster relief fund set up by Global Giving, a non-profit organization connecting people to international causes, and will match up to $50,000 in additional employee donations. Ford Fund also will provide $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to help the Ford Asia Pacific team contribute to local rebuilding efforts once recovery begins.

Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, said: “Ford and its employees want to help meet the great need for assistance in the wake of the heartbreaking death and destruction in Nepal. We’re committed to helping those in need and hope these contributions will accelerate recovery efforts following the devastating earthquake.”

The General Motors Foundation is providing grants totaling $100,000 (Rs 63 lakh) to American Red Cross and World Food Program USA. Funds will aid emergency management officials with recovery relief efforts in the recently devastated region. In addition, General Motors International will donate $50,000 to the India Prime Minister Relief Fund, for relief efforts directly supporting Nepal’s most immediate needs.

“The sense of purpose to move quickly and answer the call to help when disaster strikes is embedded in General Motors and its Foundation,” said GM Foundation president Vivian Pickard. 

GM has also set up global employee donation portals for those that wish to contribute funds to the Red Cross or World Food Program efforts.

To support local relief efforts, Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Tsusho Corporation are making a combined donation of 10 million yen (Rs 50 lakh). This will be provided through Japan Platform, a emergency humanitarian aid organization http://www.japanplatform.org/E/donation/

Honda Motor Co has said it will donate approximately 20 million Japanese yen (Rs 1 crore) and supporting equipment to support the relief and recovery effort of the severely affected area through the humanitarian relief organization.

Yamaha Motor Co is providing 5 million yen (Rs 26 lakh) in the form of monetary support and relief supplies for the recovery effort through the non-profit organization Japan Platform. 

JCB is supporting the relief effort in earthquake-hit Nepal with the donation of diggers and electrical power generators worth around $1 million (Rs 6.3 crore). Ten backhoe loaders were made available immediately to the Nepalese Army and are now at work in the areas worst hit by the disaster which has left more than 5,000 people dead and 10,000 injured.

JCB chairman Lord Bamford said: “It is shocking to see the devastation caused by this earthquake and the resulting widespread damage and destruction. On behalf of JCB, I express my heartfelt condolences to everyone affected by this natural disaster. JCB will continue to help the Nepalese government in every possible way.”

JCB supplied the backhoes through its dealer, MAW Enterprises, in Nepal. The electrical power generators are also en route from JCB India’s factory in Delhi to help stricken communities caught up in the quake. The JCB backhoe loaders have been deployed to help ground relief efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake which measured 7.8 on the Richter Scale. The company says in the coming weeks and months, the donated machines will be used in reconstruction efforts.

Global automotive supplier Continental has made an immediate donation of €50,000 to support aid workers in the earthquake zone in Nepal. "We are making disaster aid available swiftly and without any red tape and have chosen the charity of the Technisches Hilfswerk as the beneficiary organization. Our donation is expected to be used for a drinking water treatment facility and should help to provide direct aid in the affected area," said Continental CEO Dr. Elmar Degenhart.

"Continental believes in bearing social and societal responsibility and therefore maintains special links with individuals and organizations dedicated to helping people in need. Fortunately, our own locations and employees were not directly affected by this earthquake and its horrible destructive power. The people in the disaster zones are in desperate need of help – not only do we want to help them, but we have to," addded Degenhart.