It’s a quiet day at collection centres in Thiruvananthapuram

Cleaning materials required in most flood-hit areas, collection of relief materials to continue

August 23, 2018 01:06 am | Updated 09:03 am IST - Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 21/08/2018:: Flood relief materials collected at the Nishagandhi collection centre ready for pick up to various flood affected areas of the state ,in Thiruvananthapuram  on Tuesday........... photo..S Mahinsha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 21/08/2018:: Flood relief materials collected at the Nishagandhi collection centre ready for pick up to various flood affected areas of the state ,in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday........... photo..S Mahinsha

After days of frenetic activity, it was a relatively quiet day at various collection centres in the city on Wednesday, though relief material continued to be delivered.

At SMV Government Model Higher Secondary School, Bharat Govind, part of the District Collector’s internship programme, said after the overwhelming response initially, things were getting streamlined and relief was being sent only after needs on the ground were ascertained. “Two volunteers and two government officials have been sent to the district affected, and only after they determine the requirement in each camp is material sent from here.”

Cleaning material was what was required, he said. “Loads to Thrissur and Ernakulam have been sent. Next up is Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. Material is being also sent to the airport technical area for being air-dropped,” he said.

Satheesh Kumar S., Finance Officer at the Collectorate, who has been coordinating the collection activities at Nishagandhi auditorium, said 10 loads of material had been sent on Wednesday to Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, depending on requirement. “The last few loads contained mostly cleaning agents, as 500 volunteers from University College and some under the aegis of the Suchitwa Mission have gone to these areas for clean-up. The situation there is grim,” he said.

Mr. Satheesh said they had received a timely consignment of 1,000 gum boots, and 400 of these would be sent out in the evening for the clean-up operations. “What we need is cleaning material such as mops, brooms, detergents, bleaching powder, gloves, gum boots, and masks as volunteers are now helping with cleaning operations. No one thought so many masks would be needed; we are told the smell is pretty bad.”

At Government College for Women, it looked like a very slow day. While a few volunteers of Anbodu Trivandrum were packing up boxes, a number of them were waiting for material to arrive. “We have not held back any stock. Everything that we have got is being sent off. Trucks have been leaving every day,” Sobha Viswanath, one of the coordinators, said.

Ms. Viswanath said that after their association with the district administration, they were taking the collection drive to the next phase in which they wanted to distribute material directly to the people.

“As soon as people contact our coordinators, we will meet their needs. We have volunteers across the State, so we can reach out to the people in time. We will reach out to social and conventional media seeking relief material. The collection here will continue,” he said.

Adarsh and Sai, two volunteers at the college auditorium, said one of their friends, a hostel resident, had informed that around 40 affected families, including his, had gone to a camp in Pathanamthitta but had to return home empty-handed. So, if we can pack a few things for each of those families from here, it will be of great help,” they said.

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