[Reader-list] Fake NGOs collect crores in Ramadan

Aditya Raj Kaul kauladityaraj at gmail.com
Mon Sep 29 23:07:19 IST 2008


 Fake NGOs collect crores in Ramadan
Abid Bashir, Rising Kashmir

Link -
http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7156&Itemid=1

Srinagar, Sep 28: Alarmed by the growing number of "fake" Non Governmental
Organizations (NGOs), especially orphanages in Kashmir, State administration
has sought peoples' help to initiate action against the "fake"
organizations, which collect crores of rupees as donations during the holy
month of Ramadan.

According to police sources more than 1,000 NGOs including 373 orphanages
have been registered in the State during past 10 years. "It has been noticed
that only few hundred work on the ground throughout the year while others
make their presence felt in Ramadan to collect donations," they said,
adding, "There is no accurate figure available about the total number of
NGO's registered during the past 20 years".

After the emergence of fake organisations, the heads of Kashmir's renowned
and registered orphanages have called upon administration to act against
such NGOs and banish them from collecting donations.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Masoud Samoon sought people's support in
tackling this menace. "It is really a serious issue but a difficult one to
handle. How could we know that an orphanage or a trust is fake unless people
inform us? I appeal people that in case they come across any such
organizations, they should inform us or police so that action could be taken
against the fake NGO", Samoon told Rising Kashmir.

He said that unless people cooperated with them it won't be possible to deal
with the issue.
Over the years it has been observed that scores of people, majority being
from villages surface on the very first day of Ramadan with receipt books
and collect donations in the name of Zakat and Sadkah from people. However,
nobody knows where the money goes.

Ashiq Bukhari, chairman of Jammu Kashmir Yateem Khana, a registered
orphanage having more than 350 orphans and 250 widows told Rising Kashmir,
"Collecting donations in the name of fake orphanages has become a serious
problem. Something tangible has to be done by the authorities to control
this menace. Our policy is clear: we don't have any receipt books and don't
go for door to door campaign to seek donations. We have published our
message on the posters stating that whosoever is willing to donate his/her
sadakah or Zakat should directly come to the orphanage and earn heaven."

He admitted that scores of people, who run fake intuitions, surface in
Ramadan and collect lakhs of rupees as donations. "This needs to be stopped
as they are depriving the genuine orphans and widows of their due," Bukhari
said.

Demanding action against fake NGOs, he said, "We are ready to support
administration in tackling this grave issue. We want to eradicate this
menace".

Muneer Ahmad, chairman JK Yateem Foundation, seconded Bukhari and said they
too have the same policy as that of Bemina orphanage. "We too don't have any
receipt books and don't collect donations. The donators visit our office for
donations. Thanks to Allah, there is no scarcity of funds in our orphanage."

He said that they will support every move of the administration to identify
the fake NGOs so that necessary action can be taken against them.


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