Ants are a greatest example for humans for how to live as a society. The catastrophic events such as Gaja make us to know how we should act as real social animals. It was three days later, our team had got call from one of our friend who asked for suggestions whether the OLI Organisation can coordinate Relief measures in affected districts.
About Gaja:
Initially, Gaja was forecast to affect the area around Chennai and Pondicherry, but made landfall further south on Tamil Nadu’s eastern coast, covering the districts along the state’s famous East Coast Road(ECR). According to Indian Meteorological Department, Government of India Cyclone Gaja crossed coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam near latitude 10.50 N and longitude 79.80E with wind
speed of 100 – 110 Km per hour gusting to 120 km per hour during 00.30 AM to 04.30 AM hours on 16th November, 2018. It is reported by private weather observers’ that at Vedaranyam the speed of wind went upto 160 Km per hour. Cyclone Gaja induced high-velocity winds of about 120 Kilometers per hour which
caused massive damage in Tamil Nadu and parts of Puducherry.
We started to pool resources onwards 19.11.2018. At OLI office, we initiated a collection point for relief materials. It was forwarded on social media for a wider reach. Based on the overwhelming response we initiated one more collection point at Coimbatore under Mr. Karthikeyan, one of our volunteer.
We got huge response from many quarters to serve the people in need. The team with help from our donors flagged off the first consignment from Chennai to villages located in and around Vedaranyam area. The consignments included Tarpaulins, Nippo Torch lights, Mosquito Coils, Candles, Biscuits, water bottles,napkins etc.,
The relief materials amounted to a worth of Rs. 9 lakhs had been distributed in Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur and Pudukottai Districts.
Villages Covered
- Karupanpulam
- Sembodai
- Vellapalam Fishermen Colony
- Maniyainthevu
- Vedaranyam Vannaratheru
- Pulveli
- Vandal
- Pazhaiyattrankarai
- Kodiyakkarai
- Thennadar
- Kovilthavu
- Siruthalaikadu
- Pazhaiyattrankarai
- Thoppudurai
- Pushpavanam
Corporate Partners
- Shriram Properties, Bangalore
- Shankar IAS Academy, Chennai.
- Indo National Ltd, Chennai
- Life Cell International Pvt Ltd, Chennai
Other Organisations cooperation:
- M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
- Tiruppur Embroidery Association
- Makkal Pathai NGO
- Black sheep Channel
- Officers Trainees of Indian Forest Service’s Indira Gandhi National
Forest Academy, Dehradun - Volunteers from Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai
