Christopher, Head of Export-Middle East, Asia & Africa, Rawlplug talks to Asian Lite about the recent Kerala floods … reports Asian Lite News.
The recent flood in Kerala, which the Chief Minister described as natural calamity ever witnessed the state, has affected all its development spheres. Remembering the active involvement of rescue and relief efforts in the early days of the massive flood, it has turned to a tragedy the state had ever witnessed.
Even though the doctor had advised to take rest, I was standing next to the steps and eagerly watching the news and the struggle people going through. Despite the flow of water was almost beyond control, like any other individual I do want to get involved and rescue people who are trapped in the overflowing terrain. However, I was clueless how to help them in such a terrible situation.
I immediately realised my collegemates who had created a student group named Palm International on behalf of Pandalam Polytechnic Institution. Though it is based in Dubai, its members spread across the world and many of them are on their annual holiday back home during the monsoon season. A WhatsApp group was then created to work more closely and the response was so amazing. The members keep increasing day by day and there were plenty of messages pouring into the community group requesting for assistance.
Due to difficulty in travelling all the way back home, I took the responsibility for checking the authenticity of requests coming into the community group. At the same time started collecting essential supplies for the needy people.
Even though the members are spread across various parts of the world, they were all actively part of the mission we have undertaken. There were also unknown faces supporting us in our effort. We were mainly focusing on two activities, i.e. immediate rescue of people who are trapped in their houses and provide food and other essentials for those who are in the rescue camps.
The second unit was operating from the state’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram, with the active involvement of citizens and fishing community. People were willing to provide us their vehicles and humanity was seen across our involvement. Their focus was only to help the struggling, keeping caste and ethnical diversities away, and worked together as a team for a common cause.
The community group was also helping people who were returning from relief camps to their home. The group also stayed along with family who were not able to return to their home due to accumulated waste and poor hygienic conditions prevailing.
The group that left from Valakam, near Thiruvananthapuram, comprises of doctors and other supporting team, carrying around 75,000 cleaning materials along with them. Also arranged food and other essentials from Thiruvananthapuram to Pandalam and Chengannur areas, with special care on arranging essential medicines. A separate unit was focusing on arranging sterilized water to Pandalam and Kodungallur areas.
As part of rehabilitation initiatives, the focus was then shifted to residences and schools and continue distributing medicines and other essential utensils on priority basis. Meanwhile, the team was also actively working onto help families who lost everything in their life with financial assistance wherever requires.
With experience of working together with friends and colleagues as a team has helped Palm International to actively involved in such a rescue mission. We have succeeded in completing the task with the help of several like-minded people around.
History will reveal that people of Kerala were not the victims of a mass deluge, instead a community that was dedicated to better life endeavours and success. We are glad to be part of this great community.