Truckloads of relief material being sent to Kerala

Responding collectively to the massive humanitarian crisis triggered by the Kerala floods, Bengalureans have launched an unprecedented campaign to mobilise and send relief material. Truckloads of essential clothes, medicines and food items have been already despatched to the neighbouring state.

Volunteers have fanned out to different parts of the city, collecting the material sourced from individuals, cultural and social groups, apartment associations and corporates. Collection and relief camps have sprung in localities such as Electronics City, HSR Layout, Bommanahalli, Koramangala, Indiranagar, Mathikere and Hebbal.

Relief material sourced from 33 collection centres operated under the banner 'Kerala Flood Relief Campaign' are being sent to EMS Bhavan in Yeswanthpur. These are then segregated and sent by truck to Kalpetta in Wayanad district of Kerala, informs the campaign's general secretary Lenil Babu.

Besides collection centres, individuals, too, are dropping off their boxes at the EMS Bhavan. "We open the boxes, segregate the materials and repack them, giving labels. We also mention the quantity and number them before they are despatched in the morning. Thirty volunteers are doing this round-the-clock here," says Babu.

Biscuits, medicines, soaps, water bottles, sanitary napkins, detergents, rice, sugar and other food items are among the material reaching the collection centres. But volunteers want people to avoid used clothes. "They are rejecting the old clothes at the reception centres in Kerala," points out a volunteer.

The demand is more for long-lasting food items. Although biscuits are preferred, people, especially in Wayanad areas, are in dire need of rice and other food grains. By 6 pm on Saturday, over 1,000 kg were collected at the Yeswanthpur centre.

'Anbodu Kochi'

Coordinating with the Kerala-based 'Anbodu Kochi' association, the city-based Keli Cultural Association has also sent several truckloads of relief material.

Explains Anoop Aravind, a volunteer from this group: "After segregating and repacking, we label the boxes and route it to the Kerala NGO. We have also contributed to the centre at Cessna Techpark, from where the material was picked up by the Indian Air Force."

Sourcing material from nine collection centres, the Kerala Samajam has so far despatched three truckloads to Wayanad. More trucks will be sent to Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam over the next few days, informs Samajam general secretary, Reji Kumar.

"Besides boiled rice packets, material being sent also include sanitary napkins, plastic cups, blankets, sweaters and general medicines."

Most relief material from Bengaluru are now headed to Wayanad by road.