KOCHI:The Kudumbashree godown in Kalamassery is an epicentre of activity. Some Kudumbashree workers are seen unloading from trucks. While some are packing onions into small packs, the others are packing rice and sugar. These small packs are then packed into a single kit by others. A section of workers and staff are seen loading these kits into another truck. This is one of the six relief materials collection and kit distribution centres in the district and the only one directly run by Kudumbashree.
Opened on Thursday, more than 400 Kudumbashree workers unloaded almost 40 vehicles of relief materials at the centre. “Most of these are provided by Supplyco and Horticorp,” says Geevarghese, district coordinator of Kudumbashree. “While rice, sugar and onions were supplied by Supplyco, loads of vegetables were sent by Horticorp.” Other than this, relief materials from other states are also collected and segregated here.
The truckloads of materials brought here are unloaded by the workers itself. After this, based on what’s needed for each family, relief kits are made. “Basic materials such as rice, sugar, onion and powdered spices are packed in a kit,” says Rakesh K R, assistant district coordinator of Kudumbashree.
The kits will be distributed in the flood-affected areas in the Kanayannur taluk.
Six such centres function in the district. While the other centres are run by the Revenue Department, the one in Kalamassery is fully run by Kudumbashree. “There were more than 400 workers and staff working at the centre on Thursday,” says Rakesh. “On Friday, almost 250 workers and staff were deployed here. We don’t let others volunteer here. This is solely run by the Kudumbashree.”