BENGALURU: With the recent flooding in North Karnataka and Kerala, Umesh Kumar, advocate and president of Cubbon Park Walker’s Association, feels wary of a celebration that does not take into account the plight of people in distress.
The association has organised the pick-up of relief materials including blankets, toiletries, sanitary napkins, clothes, hand towels and non-perishable grocery items. “We already had 100 T-shirts, sarees and biscuits in stock, which we will personally carry to the flooded areas,” said Kumar, who has contributed over `1 lakh.
A team of six will start from the city on August 15 and take the materials to Shivamogga. Dr Sribhavani Rakhesh, the organising secretary who lives in the UK, said, “When I first advertised this event, the response was overwhelming. I immediately received `20,691,” she said, adding, “The Kannadiga diasporic community has been deeply saddened by this tragedy and will extend support in any way we can.” This is not the first time that the association has contributed to people in distress. “I felt it was my duty to go to Nepal in 2015 and Kerala last year with materials,” said Kumar.