Hyderabad solidarity to marooned Kerala: Relief mobilised will be transported on trucks

HYDERABAD: In a show of solidarity with Kerala flood victims, thousands turned up at Ravindra Bharathi auditorium on Sunday to donate relief materials such as medicines, sanitary products, toothbrush, toothpaste, soaps, biscuits, packaged water and sacks of raw rice, sugar and essential groceries. It will be transported to Kerala in trucks on Tuesday evening.
While majority of people donated relief material, many also donated cheques towards Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.According to organizers of the donation drive, the relief material will be transported based on the instructions of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. The Kerala CMO also requested that medicines and sanitary products be sent on a priority basis, said the organizers.

“The Kerala CM’s office informed us that people are in need of medicines, sanitary napkins and diapers. We are requesting people to contribute these items on a priority basis. People have also been asked to refrain from donating old clothes and we also welcome contributions in cheque towards CM’s relief fund. We have requested donors to specify the purpose towards which they want to contribute — such as construction of toilets and rebuilding houses. We then connect the donors with the people in Kerala to take things forward,” said Libby Benjamin, state president of Confederation of Telugu Region Malayalee Associations.
Donations till Sunday weighed more than 60 tonnes. However, transportation is a major challenge as airports are shut till August 26 and major highways are also blocked.