TIRUCHI
Civil society has once again risen to the occasion by sending hundreds of trucks carrying relief materials to the cyclone-affected areas in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts.
The contribution from social, welfare, residential and community organisations and forums was not up to the mark in the first two to three days after the cyclone hit the coastal areas very hard as they were not aware of the magnitude of the damage.
Once they came to know that the Gaja cyclone had wreaked havoc, they began collecting and sending relief materials. The initial relief materials sent by district administrations and major local bodies also motivated organisations such as Rotary and Lions Clubs, actors' fan clubs and others to collect relief materials including rice, dhal, cloths, dress materials, blankets, water bottles and others. Political parties and elected representatives too chipped in to the cause.
According to a rough estimate, more than 100 loads of relief materials have been sent to the affected areas from Tiruchi city alone. Similarly, several loads have been dispatched from Karur, Ariyalur and Perambalur districts.
Saturday and Sunday saw the maximum number of relief trucks reaching Vedaranyam, Kodiakarai, Vaimedi, Vizhunthamavadi, Thiruthuraipoondi, Pattukottai, Orathanadu and Peravurani and neibhouring villages, which were hit very hard by the cyclonic storm. Relief materials continue to pour in from different parts of the State on Monday too.
While some of them chose to hand over the materials to the coordinating officials in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts, others visited the affected areas and distributed materials to the affected areas directly.
“Before distributing relief materials, we visited various remote and worst hit villages to list out the beneficiaries. Based on it, we have distributed about Rs.10 lakh worth of relief materials to the villages of seven hamlets,” said M. Buhari of Rotary Club of Ramnad Royals at Netrodai village near Mallipattinam in Thanjavur district.
“We have received assistance from various organisations. The materials come in handy when we face untold suffering after the cyclone wiped out everything from our houses. We feel happy the way the civic society has responded,” S. Manoharan of Netrodai.
