THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the floods hit Chengannur, it inundated everything in its wake. The waters submerged the lower floor of the Government Higher Secondary School, Thiruvanvandoor, Chengannur Washed away and rendered useless were scores of books at the library in the school.
With the school staring at the mammoth rebuilding initiative, a group from the city has come forward to help aid in the setting up of the library. Christened ‘Athijeevanathinte Pusthaka Pralayam’, the collective MPoVER Flood Victims started a two-day campaign in the city. Writer V V Kumar launched the campaign on Friday by contributing a set of books. “We have witnessed the greatest calamity. Now the thrust should be on the rebuilding process,” Kumar said while inaugurating the campaign.
In the shade of the gooseberry tree in the traffic median opposite the VJT Hall, the book collection is progressing. ‘Donate at least one book that you have read’, so goes the campaign. As many as 100 books were received ever since the organisers pitched up camp in the median. “We started collecting the books even before launching this campaign. Around 500 books could be collected. Our aim is to raise at least 2,000 books in two days,” says Elias John, one of the members of the group. Individual efforts are also on to donate books to set up the library in the school.
“The students of a school in Punalur donated books to the library. There have been donations from Ernakulam and Tirur as well. If you are unable to bring the books here, you can always send the books to the school,” he adds.