Strasbourg, 19/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted on Thursday during its emergency debates, the EP welcomed the emergency aid of EUR 13 million granted by the European Commission to victims of the earthquake in the State of Gujarat on 26 January. Welcoming both the aid deployed by the international community and the efforts made by the Indian authorities to implement this aid, the Parliament stresses the share of responsibility held by real estate promoters "who sacrificed the safety of buildings to financial gain". It invites the authorities to prosecute these companies and to implement appropriate legislation on construction safety. The EP also calls on the World Bank and the Asian Bank for Development to respond as soon as possible to the requests for loans made by the Indian government and to assess the needs of the region for the long-term reconstruction process.