The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry has provided the Surat Municipal Corporation with one lakh food packets.

Chamber's vice-president Amar Nath Dora said, ``Availability of food packets is not a problem as many more people are coming forward to help and donate generously but their distribution is. The Chamber too has been preparing food for distribution to the flood-affected people since Wednesday morning. Beside, a number of people have been supplying flour, edible oil, vegetables, maida for preparing food packets. But unless the administration arranges for sufficient number of vehicles and boats, marooned peoplecannot be provided with food,'' Dora added.

Even as the District Development Office has been converted into a food packet distribution centre, Chandrakant Sanghvi of Jain Jalaram Manch voices the same complain - the administration lacks coordination. ``The people are marooned and we want to help, but we are unable to reach the people because of non-availability of transportation.''

While Citizens Council and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry are coordinating with the NGOs, the Varachcha Medical Association and Varachcha Diamond Association are distributing food packets in the Varachcha zone.

One positive thing that has emerged in this hour of crisis is that the local traders are not taking undue advantage of the situation and have not hiked the prices of essential commodities despite the fact that consumption of these items has increased in the last two days.