BERHAMPUR: Ganjam collector V Keerthi Vasan has urged employees of all central and state government departments, public sector undertakings, Panchayati Raj institutions, municipal corporations, banks and educational institutions in the district to voluntarily contribute a day’s salary towards flood relief.
He appealed to government employees and the general public on Friday to extend a helping hand to families struggling to rebuild their lives after the floods. The contributions will be deposited in the ‘Arnab Sahayata Panthi Ganjam’ fund constituted to provide assistance to flood-affected families.
Vasan expressed hope that people from all walks of life would come forward and turn the campaign into a collective expression of humanity and solidarity.
In a separate initiative, the district administration has decided to celebrate Diwali with flood-affected families this year. Special Diwali kits containing earthen lamps, cotton wicks, sweets, lungis, sarees and other items will be distributed among the affected families. Preparations for the kits are underway at Chamakhandi under Chhatrapur block, where the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society is coordinating the packaging work.
Meanwhile, Ganjam police distributed blankets, clothes and study kits among the families who lost their belongings in floods triggered by cyclone Arnab on the day. Moving beyond their conventional role as law enforcers, police personnel reached out to flood-affected families in Naitada Sahi, Purushottampur NAC, Handighara, Achuli, Jaleswarkhandi and Gothialli.
Led by Ganjam SP Harisha BC, the personnel distributed blankets, sarees T-shirts, and educational kits for children who had lost their books and study materials in the floods.
