With thousands in Kerala displaced due to heavy rains, volunteers and others from Chennai are working towards mobilising relief material to help out the neighbouring State.
“We are working with volunteers from Kerala, who helped us during the 2015 floods here, as a part of Chennai Rescue. They had helped us immensely back then and now we are doing the same,” said Lakshmi Balakrishnan, a volunteer with Chennai Rescue.
The team, over the last few days, have been collecting lungies, stainless steel plates, diapers, mosquito coils, towels, medicines and sanitary napkins among other materials. Ms. Lakshmi said that they were in touch with volunteers in Wayanad, to whom the relief material would be sent for distribution.
“We are sending a batch of relief material today and based on the requirements communicated to us, we will continue mobilising more material,” she added.
Path, a city-based NGO has also stepped in with collection points at five places in the city, including Bamboola School at R.A. Puram, Naturals Lounge at South Boag Road and Ceebros apartments on Pycrofts Road.
Details about their collection drive with the drop-off points was circulated widely on social media.
Sent to Collectorate
“We are sending the first consignment with essentials like medicines, toothbrushes, toothpaste, ready-to-eat food, glucose and ORS solutions. The material will be sent to the Collectorate in Wayanad, from where the State machinery will send it to areas in need,” said Vikash Srivastav from Path.
He further added that they were mobilising gumboots and raincoats for the people volunteering with distribution of relief material in Kerala.
While material collected from their drop-off points is being sent by a truck sponsored by the Rotary Club on Sunday, Mr. Vikash said that they would be sending material every alternate day and hoped for help, in terms of arranging additional transportation.
Sujata Vijay, Director of Bamboola School, who is helping coordinate the collection drive for Path, said they were sending medicines and other essentials, immediately through private courier services.
“People from the city have been extremely generous with their contributions and we just sent a whole lorry of packaged drinking water,” she added.
The Tamil film fraternity too has stepped in to contribute.
At the 38th Executive Committee meeting of the Nadigar Sangam on Sunday, a decision was taken to contribute ₹5 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
Actors pitch in
While actors Surya and Karthi have already donated ₹25 lakh, actor Kamal Haasan too has donated ₹25 lakh for relief efforts.
NoRKA-Roots in Chennai has sought the help of Non Resident Keralites (NRKs) in the relief efforts, by requesting them to send cheques and demand drafts to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
Persons have been asked to contact the NoRKA-Roots satellite office at Rain Drops Hotel, KTDC Ltd., Greams Road.
They can also contact phone numbers 94441 86238 or 2829 3020.
