SHSACREDHEARTCOLLEGEAl,to"fJmousS rT-=JFlood Relief Activities

Sacred Heart College Thevara

NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME UNIT NO. 31

NOT ME, BUT YOU

in. Johnson X Pa]ackappilmPrincipal

Sacred Heart College (AutonriTmu.`Thevara. Krichi-ri8? .'.

NSS Volunteers of SH College Thevara at the frontiers of Service

Right from the beginning of the calamity, NSS volunteers of SH College Thevara were at the

forefront extending services at different parts of Ernakulum district and nearby districts,

wherever people at distress required helping hands. More than 100 volunteers including lady

volunteers were rendering services at any point of time through these days on a war footing

basis. In some of the days the work was extended till the wee hours of night.

The verve, energy and dedication with which the service drive of the NSS unit was piloted

caught the attention of many organisations resulting partnerships with corporate institutions

like Cochin Shipyard Limited, Alumni associations, Media institutions and various charitable

societies etc. The volunteers were also part of the team working with the District

Administration for relief activities. The relief activities which commenced from the very

beginning during the last week of July, when the traces of the catastrophe were just visible in

parts of Ernakulum district, have been relentlessly continued right through the Onam holidays

and still going on in full momentum.

The activities that began on 27th July 2018 are still going in full momentum. The relief

operations were mainly concentrated on three areas - services at relief camps, handling relief

materials and cleaning of flood affected houses and institutions at Aluva and Alappuzha.

Helping hands of the volunteers were available for sorting and distribution of relief materials in

places like Chellanam and other parts of the district partnering with Malayala Manorama. They

also helped in sorting the collected materials to be distributed to the residents at the relief

camps in association with the NSS alumni as well as the District Administration under the

“Anpodu Kochi” programme. The materials collected at the SH Relief Centre at the college were

also sorted by the volunteers. The volunteers rendered multifarious service activities at relief

camps at UC College, Aluva, Chavara School, Koonammavu, SH College, Thevara, SNDSY UPS,

Poochakkal, St. Mary’s School, Thevara etc.During the Onam holidays, the focus was on helping

the affected victims in their rehabilitation and resettlement efforts. Massive cleaning and

resettlement works were carried out at different parts of Aluva like North Aduvasserry, Manjali,

Paravoor Kavala etc and also at Kanichukulangara of Alappuzha district.

Summary of Services

Average Number of Volunteers Participated – 105 per day Total Days in the field

July 27 – August 11, 2018 – 5 Days

August 15 – August 28, 2018 – 13 days

Total – 18 Days

Sorting & Distribution of Relief Materials

Chellanam Panchayat, Ernakulum

Udaya Colony, Ernakulum

RSC, Ernakulum with District Administration – Sorting & Packing

Malayala Manorama Office, Ernakulum – Sorting & Packing

SH College Campus, Thevara – Sorting & Packing

Godown at Thammanam with Alumni Association – Sorting & Packing

Service at Relief Camps

St. Mary’s School, Thevara

SNDY UPS, Poochakkal

UC College, Aluva

Chavara School, Koonammavu

Relief Camp, Kanichukulangara, Alappuzha

Cleaning and Resettlement Activities

Manjali, Aluva

Aduvasserry, Aluva

Paravoor Kavala, Aluva

Kanichukulangara, Aluva

No. of Houses Cleaned – 42

Church -1 (Mary Matha Church, North

Aduvasserry,Aluva)

Public Library -1 (North Aduvasserry, Aluva)

SNDP Yogam Hall – 1 (North Aduvasserry, Aluva)

Anganwadis – 2 (North Aduvasserry, Aluva)

Schools – 4 (Different Areas)

Colleges – 2 (Different Areas)

Activities in Detail with Photographs in connection with Flood Relief July 27, 2018-UDAYA COLONY “In the heart of the city being transformed into a metropolis lies a colony with around 100

families”(Indian Express, August 2017)- that illustrates the clear picture of Udaya colony on the bank

of the highly polluted Thevara-Perandoor canal. The situation in the colony is so upsetting. The

families don’t even possess a concrete house. The outbreak of this year’s southwest monsoon made

the situation worse. Flash floods and destruction caused by the heavy rain took away their little

belongings. The people became deprived of shelter, food grains, clothes and other essential

commodities. So the NSS SH unit decided to organize a program to help the ailing community near

their college. NSS volunteers collected essential commodities from the students, faculty and staff of

the college and organized them into kits -each of them containing bedsheet, food articles, tooth

paste, soap and other needed things. A group of volunteers visited the colony on 27th July, 2018 in

the noon and distributed the kits to several families. On the demand of the residents clothes were

later distributed in the evening on the same day.

Essential commodities being distributed to the residents of Udaya Colony, Thevara.

July 28, 2018- RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT ALAPPUZHA Alappuzha district was one of the worst hit districts in Kerala by the southwest monsoon. The

low-lying areas in the district were submerged under the water. In Kuttanad, several families

had left their homes and found relief in the camps arranged by the district administration

following severe flooding. In addition, sea erosion battered the coastal areas. The district’s

populace lost everything. The NSS SH unit extended their hand to help the district

administration in carrying out the relief activities. A lot of stuffs, including food items and

clothes, were collected from different expanses, different people. Segregation of the huge

quantity of items into various categories was a difficult task. The NSS volunteers undertook the

task. They joined in the late night segregation of items to be distributed at the affected areas

on 28th July, 2018.

NSS volunteers of SH unit helping the district administration in the segregation of collected commodities

August 1, 2018 SURVEY AT CHELLANAM

Chellanam is a village in the Kochi sub-district of Ernakulam District. In this coastal village at least

100 families were affected by the monster waves that battered the Kochi coastline with the onset

of southwest monsoon. The village sustained heavy losses. Many of them became homeless and

were deprived of essential commodities to push their life forward. The NSS unit of SH joined hands

with the leading Malayalam newspaper daily Malayala Manorama in an initiative to supply and

deliver the essential materials to the suffering people. As a precursor to the initiative, NSS

volunteers conducted a survey in the affected milieu with the aim to identify and quantify the

material losses and health crisis on August 1, 2018. About 55 NSS volunteers came forward for

surveying. Malayala Manorama helped and provided proper guidance to the volunteers for the

implementation of the survey. The survey which began after noon went till 6:30 PM in the

evening. NSS volunteers visited about 400 houses in the area and acquired enough data for

carrying out the project.

Survey being carried out at Chellanam by NSS volunteers of SH unit in association with Malayala

Manorama

August 2, 2018 RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT CHELLANAM

On the basis of the details extracted from the survey conducted by NSS volunteers of the SH

unit in association with the Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama, the authorities at Malayalam

Manorama prepared a list of neediest people. Again, by coordinating with the newspaper, first

phase of relief activities were carried out at Chellanam on August 2, 2018. The volunteers

distributed drinking water, food materials, vegetables, medicines, and other essential

commodities at the distribution centres arranged at Chellanam, Maruvaakkad,

Pattathiparambu, area near Palathulli Kinar, Velankanni Church ground, near Cortina hospital

etc. The activities were inaugurated by Velankanni Church rector, Fr. John Kandathiparambil.

Principal and Vice-principal of Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Dr. Fr. Prasanth Palakkappillil and

Dr. Fr. Jose Thuvavukkal respectively, NSS SH unit programme coordinators, Malayala

Manorama Circulation Senior General Manager and many others attended the programme.

Kits containing essential commodities distributed at rain affected regions in Chellanam

August 2, 2018 CLEANING ACTIVITIES AT CHELLANAM Many areas in the coastal village of Chellanam were undesirably affected by the flood that

ravaged Kerala for over two weeks. The heavy downpour left the regions devastated. The

sand wall, houses and many other structures went down. Residents of Chellanam sought

help for getting back their lives. So a group of NSS volunteers of SH unit went to Chellanam.

They cleared wastes brought by the thrashing waves and flood. Sand and mud had got

heaped up at several areas. They also cleared it and cleaned the regions.

Cleaning activities in progress at Chellanam

August 11, 2018- FIXING THE SAND WALL AT CHELLANAM

Chellanam, a coastal village in Kochi, is one of the areas adversely affected by sea erosion.

Following the heavy downpour and cyclone, the sea wall that prevented erosion, at least to

some extent, got damaged almost completely. The sand wall had to be fixed immediately

to prevent further loses. To fix the sand wall, the locale called for help to fill the sand bags.

The NSS volunteers decided to help the people in the effort to fix the sand wall. About 40

volunteers reached the place, worked hard and filled as many as 200 bags with sand. The

volunteers also helped the local people to build a small barrage. The day long work ended

after 2 P.M. The people in the neighborhood helped the volunteers and cooperated with

them. They gave food and water to the students who went to help them.

NSS volunteers helping the local people to fix the sand wall that got destroyed due to heavy rainfall and cyclone.

August 15-17, 2018- FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS RELIEF CAMPS

The SH unit of NSS launched a package of activities as a part of the flood relief operations. Some of

the urgent actions included collection, sorting and distribution of commodities needed by the

people residing at various camps in the district. With the dynamic participation of the NSS

volunteers, these activities were carried out The volunteers engaged themselves in collecting

essential articles with the help of their friends and sorted them out at the SH Relief Centre. They

packed the commodities appropriately and distributed them to the neediest people in the camps.

The volunteers reached out to the relief camp running at St. Mary’s UP School, Thevara. They also

cooked food at the camps and managed to provide them to the relief camp-residents. Udaya

colony, on the bank of the highly polluted Thevara-Perandoor canal, was also severely affected by

the flood. Some of the NSS volunteers helped the residents by dispensing essential commodities.

Children in those places were shut up in their houses due to the havoc situations prevailing

outside. But taking in to account the adverse footprints with which it may leave the children, the

volunteers engaged themselves with the children in the colony and spent a valuable time with

them.

NSS volunteers cooking food to distribute to the people residing in the relief camps

NSS volunteers with the kids at Udaya Colony

NSS volunteers helping to prepare food at the relief camps

August 18, 2018FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS CAMPS

Flood relief operations launched by the NSS SH unit continued for the next day. Many more

volunteers came forward to help the people who lost everything in the flood that trembled Kerala.

Apart from continuing the relief activities at St. Mary’s Up School in Thevara and Udaya Colony,

the relief operations were extended to the camp functioning at UC College in Aluva and

Sreekandeshwaram. Student volunteers delivered essential commodities to these camps and also

managed to provide them food. The NSS volunteers also tried to spend a quality time with the

residents of the relief camps to help theto overcome the trauma caused by the natural calamity.

NSS volunteers engaged in relief activities

August 19, 2018 FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT VARIUOS CAMPS

The flood that followed heavy rains and after the shutters of various reservoirs, part of

hydroelectric projects, were opened have turned to be the worst calamity the state has witnessed

in a century. In many places, the life came to a standstill. As rains subsided in most of the state after

two weeks of non-stop downpour, the focus has been now shifted to provide help to the displaced

population. So the NSS SH unit in association launched relief and resettlement activities in various

places including camps at UC College, Chavara School, Koonammavu, various expanses in Paravoor,

Varappuzha, Aluva. Many NSS volunteers participated in the relief operations. Volunteers along

with other students collected various essential commodities, needed by the people who have

sought refuge in various camps, at SH Relief Centre opened in the campus. The volunteers sorted

them and distributed the supplies to various centres and people. NSS volunteers heading towards the relief camps.

August 21, 2018- FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES- ALAPPUZHA AND ALUVA – CLEANING AND RESTTLEMENT Considering the scale of devastations, various areas in Alappuzha and Aluva remains some of the

worst flood hit places in the State. As a part of helping out the affected populace with resettling in

their homes, SH unit of NSS led a contingent of the students of Sacred Heart College, Thevara to

Alappuzha and Aluva. The programme in association with the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) was

aimed at cleaning the flood affected areas of Alappuzha and Aluva. Volunteers who surrendered their

presence for relief activities were divided into two teams. One of the teams went to Manjali in Aluva

and the other team went to Kanichukulangara in Alappuzha. The required equipment for carrying out

the project and transportation facility was arranged by CSL. After the water level in Periyar went up,

water and mud got piled up in the rooms of many of the houses and almost all the household articles

were displaced and destroyed in Aluva and Alappuzha. The untidy environment not only made

habitation impossible, but also opened a new threat of health issues. So cleaning the areas hit by

flood came first in the priority list. The volunteers cleaned many houses in the region. They also

cleaned the premises and helped the families to resettle. An Anganwadi in Aluva which was very

much affected by the flood was also cleaned under the initiative of the volunteers. The volunteers

also visited a relief camp functioning at St. Arnold’s Central School in Aduvasseri and helped the

people who took refuge. Near Aluva, a compound wall had fallen down owing to the flood and had

turned the nearby road unable to use for transportation. The NSS volunteers looked into the issue

seriously. They then decided to fix the problem. The volunteers cleaned the premises by clearing

broken bricks and stones from the road and put the road back to use.

NSS volunteers of SH unit cleaning houses at the flood affected regions in Aduvasserry, Aluva

Before and After: The compound wall that got destroyed (on the left) and the road cleaned by the NSS volunteers after clearing the bricks and stones (on the right)

Cleaning activities at Relief Camp, Kanichukulangara, Alappuzha

AUGUST 22, 2018- FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT ALUVA – CLEANING AND RESTTLEMENT Considering the urgency of the situation prevailing in the state, the NSS volunteers of SH unit

continued the flood relief and resettlement activities even during the time of Onam-Bakrid

holidays. They moved forward with the relief operations, mainly in the regions of Aluva and

Paravoor. The NSS volunteers reached selected regions of the mentioned places that needed

urgent maintenance. Various houses in Paravoor Kavala and Aduvasseri were cleaned in the day-

long effort. The volunteers cleared heaps of mud and waste from the houses. They also helped the

people to clean the displaced household articles and furniture, thus helping the people to resettle.

About 100 volunteers took part in the initiative to clean the two selected places in Aluva.

NSS volunteers of SH unit cleaning houses at the flood affected region at Paravoor Kavala

August 22, 2018- SORTING AND PACKING ITEMS FOR FLOOD RELIEF CAMPS – NIGHT WORK

In another step to help the ailing population hit by the dangerous flood that prevailed in the state,

the NSS SH unit joined hands with the leading Malayalam newspaper daily Malayala Manorama for

a relief project. Many kind-hearted persons in and around the state had donated a lot of useful

and essential articles for the people affected by flood. NSS SH unit in association with Malayala

Manorama undertook the task to sort the various articles to be distributed to the neediest people.

As many materials as about in seven trucks needed to be sorted and handed over to the district

administration. Out of it, about seven tonnes of materials arrived at SH College around 4 in the

evening. After completing the cleaning works in Aluva, the volunteers engaged themselves in

unloading the truck and sorting the materials. The Malayala Manorama team also arrived to give

proper guidance and also to help the students in the process. The process continued till late night.

NSS volunteers unloading the truck that came up with the articles to be sorted for

distribution at various relief camps in the district.

K. M. Mathew, Chief-Editor of the Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama, along with the NSS Volunteers

August 23, 2018- SORTING AND PACKING ITEMS FOR FLOOD RELIEF CAMPS AT MALAYALA MANORAMA OFFICE Sorting of items collected for the relief camp-residents continued for the second day. After

completing the sorting process at the College on 22nd August, 2018, the NSS volunteers went to

the Malayala Manorama office in Kochi upon the request by the officials. A huge stack of

commodities were collected at the Manorama office. About 10 NSS volunteers of SH unit

reached the Kochi office of Malayala Manorama and helped the officials to sort out the

collected items which needed urgent dispersal. Volunteers also assisted in packing the

commodities.

NSS volunteers sorting and packing items to be distributed to the relief camp-residents

THAMMANAM GODOWN – ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NSS alumni of SH unit were also active in the flood relief operations. They had collected many

commodities to be distributed at various relief camps functioning in the district. But those

commodities awaited the process of sorting. So the present NSS volunteers joined hands with the

NSS alumni to sort out the products.

NSS volunteers sorting the collected commodities in association with the NSS alumni

August 24- 26, 2018- FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT ADUVASSERI, ALUVA- CLEANING AND RESETTLEMENT Even before restoring the things destructed by the flood, a massive cleaning drive is the highly

demanded need which should be completed on a war footing. The NSS volunteers of Sacred Heart

College, Thevara, had already begun the relief and cleaning activities. More than 100 volunteers of

SH unit of NSS extended the cleaning drive to several places such as North Aduvasseri of

Kunnukara Panchayat, Aluva, Ernakulam. Many of the requirements needed to take along the

cleaning drive were also provided by SH HSS, Thevara. In Kunnukara Panchayat, the volunteers

cleaned about 28 houses out of which 14 were in North Aduvasseri alone. NSS volunteers of SH unit engaged in the cleaning activities at Aduvasseri

August 28, 2018- FLOOD RELIEF ACTIVITIES AT ADUVASSERI The cleaning drive that had begun in and around Aduvasseri on 24th August, 2018 continued 28th

August, 2018 in full momentum. The NSS volunteers cleaned many places which included those

that belonged to public as well as private ownerships. Cleaning activities conducted at Mary

Matha Church, North Aduvasseri SNDP Hall, North Aduvasseri Village Public Library and North

Aduvasseri 6th Number Anganwadi were the prominent actions of the day. One of the challenges

faced by the volunteers was lack of clean water for the cleaning purpose. Even though there were

wells on the premises, there was no any way to draw water from it. But the students somehow

managed to get buckets and pieces of rope to draw water.

Before and After: Mary Matha Church before and after cleaning

NSS volunteers cleaning the articles at SNDP Hall at Aduvasseri

NSS volunteers getting water directly from the well

Various cleaning activities

Skills for Repair and Maintenance in Flood Affected Areas - Special Camp for NSS Volunteers at SH College Thevara

National Service Scheme (NSS) of Sacred Heart College is organizing a three-day special residential

camp at the college campus for about 200 NSS volunteers for skilling them for the repair and

maintenance of various house hold items, plumbing and electrical repair works in the flood ravaged

homes. The camp which was inaugurated by Mayor on September 7 2018 will conclude on

September 9, Sunday. A 10-member team from Jaibharath Engineering College Perumbavoor led by

Dr Nisam Rahman, Executive Director Jaibharah Engineering College is imparting the training. The

highlight of the camp is that it provides hands on training on each and every house hold items like

mixy, iron box, motors, fans, grinder etc., along with plumbing and electrical repair works. After the

training the skilled volunteers shall be deployed in batches to the flood affected areas. The

volunteers shall be equipped with all the necessary tools and tackles for the repair and maintenance.

The camp is mainly focusing on the possible damages caused by water logging and ways to rectify

these damages. This unique initiative is in continuation of the massive relief, rehabilitation and

resettlement activities being undertaken by the NSS volunteers during the month of August even

during the Onam Holidays

Trained volunteers camping at Chengamand panchayath office and doing the repair work

11th and 12th of September 2018 were days that tested the skill of NSS volunteers of SH unit.

The NSS volunteers who gained the training for the repairment and maintenance of electrical

household appliances reached Chengamanad Panchayat in Aluva for the repair works. The

massive task turned into a huge success in the hands of NSS volunteers. It was a great relief

for the people who were living under the repercussions of the deluge.

Reconstruction of 14 Flood Affected Houses

As a natural extension of the flood releif activities, the student volunteers of NSS unit

of SH College Thevara have reconstructed fourteen flood affected houses in a

settlement colony at Purayar, Chengamanadu Panchayat, Aluva. The NSS unit has

undertaken this ambitious project, which involves huge amount of resources viz.,

materials, money and men with the support of various socially oriented organizations

The handing over of the keys of reconstructed houses was done on December 31, 2018

7.30 pm at Durbar Hall Ground Kochi. The students, entire families from the settlement

colony, flood affected families from other parts of the district and General Public have

attended the keys handing over function. The reconstructed houses were provided as a

the New Year Gift to the affected families.

Northeastern Cultural Festival which included art forms from Assam, Manipur, Tripura

etc., and a grand Padayani were performed as part of the Keys Handing Over Function .

The cultural fest was arranged in such a way that Flood affected families, the students

and the General Public had greeted the New Year with new hope and vigor. The

members from the flood-affected families also performed during the New Year evening

Whole gamut of Cultural institutions, Government Organizations and Corporates have

joined hands to support this noble and unparalleled initiative, which was planned,

coordinated and executed exclusively by the NSS volunteers of SH College.