LP school students set an example in relief work

Vechoochira: A group of schoolchildren has been doing exemplary services here for the flood-affected, prompting elders to take the cue. They distributed relief material worth Rs 7 lakh over the past 10 days.

What began as a ‘Nalla Paadam’ initiative by wards of the CMS lower primary school at Ennooramvayal here gathered momentum even as rains thickened and later water began to recede. Today, essential goods such as food, groceries, clothes, medicine and other daily-use items are reaching the needy. The students and teachers of the school continued with their good work even after the Onam holidays.

The team managed to provide aid to relief centres at SCUP School in Cheruvazhakunthadam, YMCA Bhagavathikkunnu, Vaithala, MS School, ITI Chengannur, Pravinkoodu, Thalayar, Chanthankari, Podiyadi, Arayanjilimannu, Kurumbanmoozhi, Moolakayam and Kisumam in Pathanamthitta district and even in Changanassery, which falls under Kottayam district. It also supplied essential goods to a few houses in these areas.

Further, at Ranni, Nalla Paadam volunteers held a day-long medical camp for immigrant labourers from other states.The team delivered essential goods to the remote Kurumbanmoozhi village by carrying them across forests as head-loads and then transporting them on rafts. PTA president Sreeja Biju led the parents’ initiative of cooking food and distributing them at several places in the area.

Cleaning operations were taken up at the Pazhavangadi Krishi Bhavan at Ittiyappara, police aid post, offices of KSRTC station master and Agriculture Service Centre and the Government UP School at Pazhavangadi. The school had let its two buses for relief operation in the area.

Nalla Paadam members Sonamol Siji, Ribecca Mariam, Ashq Rajesh and Albin Thomas led the activities locally. Malayala Manorama Nalla Paadam project aims at promoting social and cultural activities by schools and to channel the youth energy to constructive areas.

The activities were spearheaded by a committee comprising Haritha Kerala mission district coordinator R Rajesh, Vechoochira Government Polytechnic College NSS coordinator Rafeeq Sirajuddin, CMS School former principal P T Mathew, PTA president Shinu Chacko, vice-president S Krishnakumar, Vechoochira Government Higher Secondary School teacher Jomon Thelliyil, BMC Hospital director Dr Manu Varghese, CSI Youth Wing secretary Jobin Thomas, Agriculture Service Centre secretary Shinu Malayil and Creative Youth Club Secretary M Ajmal.