Mangaluru: Indian Coast Guard – Karnataka has stepped up efforts to come to the aid of flood-affected people in neighbouring Kerala. The maritime defence force on Tuesday, continued to send relief materials to Kerala from its air enclave at the old airport in Bajpe, by flying two sorties using Dornier aircraft. Each sortie had around 700 kg of relief materials bound for Kochi, with plans to run a separate sortie on Wednesday, with around 800 kg of perishables.S S Dasila, commander, Coast Guard Karnataka, said authorities at the Airport Authority of India, have received nearly 800 kg of buns and bakery items. It will be our priority to send the same for relief efforts in Kerala at the earliest, he said, adding the Coast Guard is also supplying medicines to airports in Kozhikode and Kochi. “We sent around 20-25 kg of essential medicines for flood releif efforts in Kochi, along with other items on Monday,” he said.Coast Guard authorities on Tuesday received nearly one tonne of medicine supplied by the Udupi district administration, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Rotary Club,Udupi, department of health and family welfare, taluk health office, Kundapur as well as the Karnataka Government Doctors’ Association. These have been loaded on to ICGS Vikram at New Mangalore Port and will set sail for Kochi latest by Friday, Dasila told TOI.At present, more than 25 tonnes of relief materials have been stored on board ICGS Vikram, he said, adding the ship will set sail once sufficient non-perishable materials have been received. Dasila lauded the spirit shown by students of MAHE who helped load the medicines on board ICGS Vikram. Incidentally, the India Coast Guard has already dispatched ICGS Sankalp with relief material for Kochi from New Mangalore Port, Dasila said.

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