Tamil Nadu - Vellore   

Students’ tendency to join service organisations just for marks deplored

Concern for society: Shantha Diaz, Secretary, IRCS, Tamil Nadu branch, speaking at VIT University in Vellore on Thursday.

VELLORE: Secretary of the Tamil Nadu branch of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Shantha Diaz has said that students should not join service organisations such as the NCC, the NSS and the Youth Red Cross (YRC) for the sake of marks that are given for their participation in activities of such organisations.

She was inaugurating a three-day State-level orientation and training programme for YRC programme officers and volunteers, organised by VIT University and IRCS, Tamil Nadu Branch, on the VIT campus here on Thursday.

Ms. Diaz regretted that there was not much response to the YRC as no marks were awarded by universities to volunteers for their participation in its activities. The IRCS had made a representation to the authorities concerned to award marks for participation in YRC activities. But, students should volunteer to involve themselves in such organisations for the sake of service and not marks, she said.

If the YRC volunteers rise to the occasion and more students join the organisation, it could be a potential force in weaning youth from terrorism. Friendship being one of the cardinal principles of the YRC, there could not be terrorism if young volunteers considered everybody as their friend.

Ms. Diaz said that volunteers of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) had the authority to enter any country during war, any rehabilitation centre or refugee camp and help war victims.

Donation in cash given by various organisations including political parties for war victims in Sri Lanka was being distributed to the victims through the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society.

The ICRC had a tracing unit, which traced relatives who were separated from war victims during the war. The IRCS was maintaining a palliative ward at the Government Hospital in Tambaram for people living with HIV/AIDS.

They were take care of with the contribution of Rs.10 by each YRC volunteer, she said.

G. Viswanathan, Chancellor or VIT University, who presided, urged the YRC volunteers to play a role in removing inequalities of caste and religion in society. He also appealed to them to prevent the youth from falling prey to tobacco and alcohol.

Earlier, Mr. Viswanathan launched a blood donation website on behalf of EC Solutions, a company floated by V.G. Sridhar, YRC Coordinator of VIT University, through the VIT-Technology Business Incubator.

Mr. Sridhar said that the website would enable voluntary blood donors to communicate their intention to donate blood and patients to post their requirements. The company would provide a platform for an interface between voluntary blood donors and those requiring blood.

The website, www.ebloodservices.com, would be activated within a couple of days.

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