As had been the case during the previous floods, the National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers of the University of Kerala have been in the forefront of relief efforts this time around as well. Having played active roles in relief collection drives, numerous college students were mobilised for the post-flood clean-up in various affected areas.
According to Shaji A., programme coordinator of the NSS cell at the varsity, the NSS units in many affiliated colleges functioned as collection centres where programme officers and volunteers worked for long hours to ensure the timely distribution of essential items at the relief camps. Currently, 164 NSS units function in as many as 112 colleges that are affiliated to the University of Kerala.
The NSS units of the SD College, Alappuzha, and A.J. College, Thonnakkal, were entrusted with delivering the collected goods to relief camps in Wayanad and Kozhikode. Among other noble achievements, the NSS unit in Sree Narayana College, Cherthala, managed to collect materials worth ₹1 lakh, Dr. Shaji said.
In the State capital, the Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, functioned as a collection hub where various NSS units coordinated the activities.
Besides, there were units that were involved in conducting a survey of flood-affected villages in Kollam. They also assisted the district authorities in collecting the details of damage suffered by various parts of the region.
Dr. Shaji said that the NSS volunteers also played key roles in the collection activities that were spearheaded by district administrations and local bodies. Numerous college students participated in the drive led by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation after registering en masse through the ‘Smart Trivandrum’ application. There were also many others who took part in similar programmes that were organised in the SMV School, Government College for Women, Bharat Bhavan, St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, and the University Students’ Centre.
