National
Month after Cyclone Ockhi, pain lingers in Kerala hamlets
By Sanu George
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 30 (IANS) Exactly a month after Cyclone Ockhi struck the southern districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the pain lingers on in the coastal hamlets of Poonthura, Vizhinjam and a few others, with 75 dead and 143 still missing.
Sosamma’s tears continue to trickle down her cheeks as there has been no word about her husband’s return.
“What will I do from now on? I have three children to look after and there is no income,” wailed Sosamma, who lives near the airport here.
60-year-old Joseph is grateful to God for bringing him back to the shores after battling the waves for four days.
“Now I have a problem. As a result of being thrashed around by the waves for four days continuously, my eyesight and my left ear is not working properly,” said Joseph.
“I do not know when will I be able to get back to work, as I have problem with my left shoulder and my neck,” said Soonil, 54, who met with much of a similar fate.
In the rescue operations that were launched by the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard, more than 1,000 fishermen were rescued from the deep seas, some of them after five days.
According to social workers who visited the coastal hamlets where tragedy struck, it was going to take quite a while before things go back to normal.
“We have been to these villages. We found out a scare prevails there. Some of them are in doubt if they will ever be able to get back to work again.
“A few rounds of counselling is urgently required for all those who are reluctant to get back to the sea. Even the families need advice,” said a social worker who did not wish to be identified.
Apart from carrying out the relief and rehabilitation programmes, the authorities still have 40 unclaimed bodies with them. A few rounds of DNA tests have been conducted.
A major relief for the Pinarayi Vijayan government came on Friday when the visiting central team took a “very considerate position” towards the state’s demand.
It has already sanctioned Rs 133 crore and another Rs 300 crore was expected to be released in the coming days.
The demands for long term measures for the overall development of the fishing community which runs into more than Rs 7,000-crore package would, however, have to wait for a while, as it will be decided by the various Union Ministries.
The Thiruvananthapuram Latin Diocese which is the livewire of these fishing hamlets, with a huge majority of the fisher folks being Latin Christians, has also chipped in with a Rs 100 crore package.
The state government is also relying heavily on them to ease the suffering of all those in pain.
As a mark of respect for the dead and suffering, many have cancelled their New Year’s celebrations.
(Sanu George can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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