The young technicians at various industrial training institutes (ITIs) seem to have touched a chord with the flood-ravaged families in Ernakulam.
As members of the Naipunya Karma Sena, a team of 250-odd ITI students successfully brought about 3,200 electrical appliances damaged in the floods back to operational mode.
These include mixer grinders, iron boxes, washing machines, refrigerators, television sets, and fans. The damaged electrical and home appliances belonged to nearly 1,600 flood-hit families in the district, according to official estimates.
The ITI students were trained in various trades including plumbing, electrical works, carpentry, electronic mechanic, mechanical refrigeration and air-conditioning. The damaged pipelines and plumbing facilities in nearly 550 homes, which were damaged in the rushing waters, were also rectified by them.
Felicitation
Students of ITIs in government and private sectors were part of the team that visited various flood-affected regions for weeks and carried out repair and maintenance work. A section of the technicians will be felicitated at a function to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The remaining will get certificates at the district-level programmes to be held soon.
Sixty-eight teachers had also participated in the unique drive to assist post-flood repair and rebuilding work across the State.
Each team visited flood-hit homes in five to six local bodies daily. Some of the areas they had visited include Karumalloor, Nedumbassery, Kadungallur, North Paravur, and Eloor.
The Naipunya Karma Sena was formed by the Industrial Training Department to rectify electrical, plumbing, welding, and carpentry issues that emerged following the floods.
Besides ITI trainees, the team consists of officials having technical knowledge in these areas. A district-level monitoring committee coordinates the functioning of the team.
