THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Let’s not waste time on rumours. There are people in dire need of our help,” said Muhammed Gaddafi of KP Lane in Peroorkada. He had collected clothes, food items and sanitary materials from the neighbourhood during the flood last year. This year also he is doing the same. Gaddafi dismissed the rumours that the flood relief would not reach the needy.
Umaima, Gaddafi’s daughter and a Plus-Two student at Government Higher Secondary School for Girls, Cotton Hill, also one of the volunteers of National Service Scheme (NSS), went to houses to collect donations. The 45 volunteers in school uniforms on Sunday were happy with what they had achieved at the end of the day.
They made a collection centre under the foot-over-bridge in front of the school, sorted the items and packed them in cartons. “We operate through the NSS network. By Wednesday we will be sending the collections to Malappuram and Wayanad,” said Joymon, NSS district convenor.
After a slow start, the collection centres at various parts of the city witnessed a steady stream of people wanting to be part of the relief operation, either as volunteers or as donors. The collection centre under Thiruvananthapuram corporation at Government Women’s College alone has 500 volunteers. It has sent five loads of materials to Malappuram and Kozhikode.
“Unlike last year we have put in place a proper system for collection. Apart from the donations received at the centres, the volunteers with identity cards will collect specific items from field,” said Jibichan C J, a volunteer.
People donating relief materials have been given an acknowledgement card, complimenting their contribution, with the signature of Mayor.
District administration’s collection centre that started on Sunday at SMV Govt Model HSS too paced up by afternoon. There were 150 volunteers, including doctors and nurses, to sort out medicines for victims.
CM defends Collector’s comment
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan supported Thiruvananthapuram District Collector K Gopalakrishnan for his comments on flood relief that attracted widespread criticism on the social media. The Collector had told volunteers to put the relief collections on hold, in a Facebook post. The Chief Minister said that the Collector was right as the focus in the initial days of rains was on rescue. “It is a prime example of how a well-intentioned comment can be misconstrued,” he said. He said he had seen the video and agreed with the officer’s views.
Relief: KSRTC waives off luggage charges
Thiruvananthapuram: Volunteers can transport relief materials to recognised relief camps via KSRTC buses without luggage charges. An order in this regard was issued on Sunday after several organisations requested transportation of relief materials to camps. The decision comes as a relief with KSRTC resuming its operation in flood-affected districts of Malappuram, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thrissur.
Meanwhile, KSRTC arranged special buses in Kannur, Palakkad, Thrissur and Kozhikode after passengers complained of fleecing by private operators. A help desk was started at Palakkad railway station for the benefit of passengers affected by train cancellation on the route. Due to flood, the bus services were restricted till Mankombu on Alappuzha- Changanassery road. Buses from Palakkad to Guruvayoor were short terminated at Pattambi. KSRTC also operated a Scania bus from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru via Salem on Sunday.