In a charitable gesture, the owners of 11 private buses plying on the Kuttiyadi-Kozhikode route, on Monday, came together to mobilise a special fund for the treatment of a 19-year-old girl student hailing from Perambra, who was diagnosed with serious renal disease.
The bus operators affiliated to the Kuttiyadi Kozhikode Bus Operators Coordination (KKBC) took the decision to contribute their Monday’s full collection following the call of a ‘Whatsapp’ group in which all bus workers on the Kuttiyadi-Kozhikode route are members. Along with the ticket charge and the voluntary contributions from various commuters, the bus crew also set apart their day’s wage for the cause.
“We came across Vishnu Priya’s plight and the poor financial condition of her family though the Whatsapp messages. When we discussed it among the bus owners’ group, there were 11 persons who expressed their willingness to cooperate with the first attempt,” said E. Reneesh, chief patron and one of the active members of the Kuttiyadi Kozhikode Bus Operators Association.
He said the cooperation of commuters was astounding as the collection crossed all levels of expectations. “Workers in my bus managed to collect Rs. 30,000 till noon. The experience was almost same of all the other bus crew,” he shared. According to the bus operators’ association, the total amount to be mobilised for the treatment of the girl, including the kidney transplantation procedures, is around Rs.8 lakh. “Our plan is to mobilise at least Rs.5 lakh for her treatment,” said T.K. Beerankoya, president of KKBC. He said the collected amount would be handed over to the family on Tuesday.
