BENGALURU: While the rest of the city scrambled indoors post the announcement of the lockdown, Hareesh KA did otherwise. He logged onto the website of the Department of Information and Public Relations and registered himself as a volunteer. He’s among those who visit schools and slums to distribute rations and meals, and has also donned the role of a traffic warden with the East division Banaswadi zone where he assists in recording vehicle movement and creating awareness on COVID-19.
A corporate social responsibility representative at C Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers, Hareesh says this is an extension of his work. “For the last 16 years, since my post graduation in social work, I have been involved various health projects,” says Hareesh, who resides in Kammanahalli but travels wherever his help is required. His day begins with distributing 500 meals at schools in and around Jogupalya where students, parents and slum-dwellers turn up to get food. He then distributes rations and food from government and individual donors, before helping maintain law and order by checking vehicles and seizing them, if necessary.
Through a WhatsApp group comprising volunteers and officials, the day’s duties are decided an evening in advance. “We also analyse the day gone by to see where we can improve,” says Hareesh. The biggest challenge he finds is non-adherence of people to instructions, especially that of social distancing. “During awareness campaigns we go around telling people the importance of keeping distance. While most of them are receptive, there are others who get back to their old ways the minute you turn around,” he says.
Hareesh takes utmost precaution as he performs these duties -- wearing a mask, gloves, sanitising his hands every 15 minutes, and not touching any documents. “There are times my family feels I’m working for long hours and are concerned about the nature of work. At those times, I try to help out with household work to balance things out,” says Hareesh who will be volunteering even after the lockdown is lifted on May 3. He adds,”I will volunteer till the end of May. Once I resume my day job, I’ll have to juggle both.”