KOCHI: The 100-strong group from Maharashtra, which had flown down to Kerala to help the flood-hit people piece together their lives, was overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on them by the people here.
The students, who are part of the group, said when it is time to leave after undertaking cleaning work in the households right from the morning, the womenfolk will be greatly upset with themselves for not being able to provide food to them.
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The students and teachers rushed to Kerala from Yavatmal district for assisting in flood relief activities.
The group consists of students and teachers from the department of social work of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule College and Savitri Jyotirao College. The members of the group are engaged in relief work. They have been helping the flood-hit in Wayanad, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam district since August 24.
“We can’t help financially. The only thing we can contribute is our muscle power. The people of Kerala are not strangers to us,” said a student. Added a teacher: “Working with people who have been affected by disasters brings the students closer to emotions that no book can provide.”
For these colleges, working in disaster-hit areas is nothing new. They had rushed to help the earthquake-hit people in Gujarat’s Kutch and the victims of tsunami in Tamil Nadu coast and Andhra Pradesh.
A majority of the students in the group are from financially-backward families. “For around 50 per cent of the students in the group, this is the first trip outside their home state and for 80 per cent, this is their first visit to Kerala,” said a teacher.
The students and teachers only had good words to speak about the people of Kerala. The teachers in the group found the relief work being carried out in the state to be different and efficient. They pointed out two things that held their attention. The first being unity and cooperation among Keralites and the second, efficiency of the government machinery.
“The death toll was less because of the synchronised manner in which the rescue operations were carried out by the people. Also, the government machinery too worked in a well-oiled manner,” said a student.
The team will be in the state till September 10. “However, if the authorities find our help is needed for a few more days, we will stay back,” said Ratandeep Gamgale, a student.