TIRUCHY: Youngsters from various colleges and volunteer organisations in the city teamed up into different groups through social media platforms, to collect and transport relief materials for the people affected by heavy floods in Chennai and Cuddalore.
Initially, a few members scattered in different parts of the city started posting statuses on Facebook and forwarding broadcast messages claiming for relief materials like food items, blankets, antiseptics, sanitary napkins, candles and the like through Whatsapp since Wednesday evening.
As soon as these messages and statuses were posted on social media, they became viral among the net users of the city. One such message which did the rounds insisted on bringing whatever relief material one could spare for the needy. The donors were asked to assemble at Chatram Bus Terminal with the materials on Thursday morning. A few students from Saranathan College of Engineering, Indra Ganesan College of Engineering, JJ College of Engineering and Technology and a youth volunteer organization - Bhumi, coordinated the collection of relief material.
Over 60 youngsters assembled at Chatram Terminal on Thursday morning with loads of relief materials. The materials were then taken to Saranathan College of Engineering (SCE) which had volunteered to pack and transport the goods at their campus.
Speaking to Express, R Rohith, a Mechanical Engineering student of SCE said, “We started spreading the word through Whatsapp which reached wider than expected. Many people from various college groups and NGOs volunteered for the cause and started raising funds to buy relief materials.” He further said,”The packed materials would be taken to flood affected areas either by our own vehicles or by any private travel agencies who would serve free for this cause”.
prayers, food Items Pour in
■ Karur Vysya Bank pledges `2 crore for relief work, offers shelter on branch premises and food, water and milk for the needy
■ JSW Steels contributes `25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s relief fund
■ Thanjavur district administration sends three lorries loaded with water, food, medicines, sanitary napkins to Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur
■ Special pooja at the shrine of the rain god Varunan in Thanjavur’s Big Temple for relief from rain fury
■ The Federation of Consumer and Service Organisation and schoolchildren of various faiths offer special prayers in Tiruchy