Hyderabad: Voluntary groups crank up relief, rescue ops

Hyderabad: Several voluntary organisations on Thursday continued their efforts to mitigate the pain of one of the worst calamities brought by nature in decades.

Thanks to social media, men like Md Muneeruddin of Alkhair Society and other organisations created Whatsapp groups overnight on October 13, to coordinate rescue and relief works in and around Tolichowki, which helped spread awareness about the grave situation across the City.

A coordinated effort was in place, even as the relief efforts continued in Nadeem Colony in Tolichowki, Golconda, Al Jubail Colony, Chandrayangutta, Shaheen Nagar, Royal Colony Balapur, Yaqutpura, Malakpet, Bahadurpura, Falaknuma and Muradnagar.

Muneeruddin procured some more lifesaving jackets for the volunteers. "A coordinated program was launched irrespective of religion or caste for rescuing the stranded people, providing temporary accommodation, preparing and distributing food packets and drinking water," he said.

The volunteers of SIO who coordinated in the inundated areas were seen distributing food packets, rice and other essentials in lanes and bylanes which were submerged in several feet of waters. According to City president of JIH, Mohammad Rashaduddin volunteers took up relief works on a war-footing. Approximately a total of 15,000 ready to eat food packets were distributed.

"People were shifted to safer places by boats in Tolichowki, Nadeem Colony and other severely affected areas. In few places, emergency kits were also distributed. People on a large scale have been affected and it is imperative to provide immediate relief to them," he said.

While other groups like Helping Hand Foundation (HHF), known for its medical services in City, began undertaking flood relief operations in slums inundated and people were stranded. "Food, blankets, bread, fruits and water are the immediate need of the hour for the next few days until conditions improve.

Our volunteers including our women workforce braced waist to neck-deep waters to distribute food and water in houses which were inaccessible to even relief workers from GHMC and police," said Mujtaba Hasan Askari of Foundation.

Amongst other groups Sakina Foundation, run by Congress leader, Md Asif Hussain Sohail, Welfare Party of India and Amoomat Society continued their voluntary help by distributing food and clothes to the affected.

Before the government could announce relief camps, the MS Education Academy, which has a chain of educational institutions offered space in schools and colleges in Mehdipatnam, Santosh Nagar, Rajendranagar, Musheerabad, Tolichowki, Charminar, Malakpet and several other places to the displaced people. Some mosques also opened themselves as relief camps near Golconda.

Pictures of volunteers assisting DRF, police and Army in flood-affected areas remained under circulation.