Global Tech Inc displays corporate responsibility Date:   Wednesday , February 16, 2005 As silent as the ‘T’ in Tsunami came the silent killer waves snuffing out lives and obliterating landed properties across three countries. The aftermath of the earthquake cum Tsunami was that apart from the colossal damage to economy, agriculture, tourism and real estate the lands affected had their geography altered, three microseconds were shaved from the earth’s daily clock and the earth actually wobbled on its axis. To move on and rebuild shattered lives, the affected need psychological help plus monetary help tempered with empathy. Corporate India, with its duty of social responsibility has pitched in magnanimously. As the death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami continues to mount, technology companies, technology workers and Web surfers are rallying to raise millions for the relief effort. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is attempting to channelize collection of clothes, medicine and essential items and dispatch them. In order to beef up the communication network in the affected areas, Bharti Tele-Ventures will roll out Airtel Mobile and VSAT network in Andaman & Nicobar before the end of the current fiscal at a total capex of Rs 20 crore In another initiative, customers of Airtel, Hutch, Idea and Spice Telecom can contribute up to Rs 100 by sending an SMS typing ERF to 7575. If the user doesn’t have Rs 100 as balance, then the existing balance amount will be forwarded as a contribution.” Airtel instituted free local call stations called ‘Crisis call stations’ at Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Kalpakkam, Pondicherry, Cuddalore and Kanyakumari, where people were allowed to make free calls. Internet service major Sify Ltd has established a Iway cyber café at Cuddalore, which is operational from 29th December. Reliance Infocomm set up around seven Fixed Wireless Phone (FWP) in Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari and also distributed Reliance India Mobiles (RIM) to some of the police personnel and hospitals in these areas, free of cost. LG Electronics has chalked out Rs.5 million worth of relief campaign. It has joined hands with Apollo hospitals for the medical relief camps. In a joint announcement with Dayanidhi Maran, Minister for Telecommunications, Alcatel said that it would contribute Rs 20 lakh in cash and 4000 mobile handsets valued at Rs 1.8 crore. In an innovative initiative started by Mumbai-based Zee Networks, all one has to do is dial 190 2424 500500 from a MTNL or BSNL landline or WLL phone. For each such call, the caller will be billed a one-minute local call charge. Search giant Google has pulled together details of 13 charities that are accepting online donations. Samsung has set up relief camp at Pondicherry for distributing food, clothes, utensils and medicines; the firm is sponsoring trucks carrying relief material to Nagapattinam and Cuddalore. Computer Associates International, Inc. donated $200,000 to UNICEF in support of the organization’s massive relief effort to help the millions of people affected by the tsunami. eBay — The auction giant said it is soliciting donations on its homepage. Cisco Systems, in association with NetHope Consortium, has been distributing NetRelief Kits, which is a wireless connection with core access coming from the satellite company - Inmarsat. IBM has setup a comprehensive information center in Nagapattinam to help the district administration co-ordinate the post-tsunami relief work. “Corporate India has always helped us at such times and we will be looking for their help once again,” said Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath. Will it hurt the corporate sector bottom lines to do this? Not as much as not doing it would hurt.