TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : As help pours in for flood victims from several quarters, the alumni of College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) has decided to focus on providing a long-term help to the affected people. “We are working on a long-term process to help people reclaim what they lost in the floods, “ says N S Abhayakumar, a member of the 1994 batch of the college. The team is currently working on a 360-degree rebuild programme in Kuttanad wherein a three-member team has been assigned to note down the progress.
The group, consisting of over 250 members of which 50 actively participated and coordinated relief activities, had earlier collected more than Rs 10 lakh and distributed it among flood-affected. The main focus of the group is to provide a sustainable livelihood. “We have done a survey to find out what has to be done, where and how. Once that was sorted, we have assigned a team consisting of an architect, a social worker and an engineer to follow-up,” N S Abhayakumar added.
According to the group, it is important to put in an engineering perspective to the relief programmes. Each and every sector has different needs, the members do surveys, analyse the results attained and provide help so that no wastage of resources occur, including energy, money and time. They are also working on a ground-level action plan in which water, sanitation, power, housing, education and occupation are important concerns. A monthly contribution of Rs 10,000 will be collected from each member as a part of the relief programmes.
Personalised help
The group has decided to provide an opportunity for the people who lost their houses to personalise their house designs. Since all natural systems of security or protection for dams and lakes are on the verge of collapse, they also focus on providing life-saving equipment such as head torches, wireless phones and life jackets to the people who live near these water sources as a precautionary measure to overcome mid-October rains.
“We also plan to build solar panels in Kuttanad areas where powercut is a common phenomenon after heavy rains. Other programmes include community projects, providing help by joining hands with government agencies, IMA and Snehitha to help the affected get back to their normal life,” he said.
A number of water purification plants has been planned to build in schools at Harippad.