Keralites divert Onam funds back home

MUMBAI: Showing solidarity in the face of crisis, Keralites in Mumbai have decided not to celebrate Onam on Saturday as their home state is getting back on its feet after the worst floods of the century. Instead, they will donate the money that would have been used for celebration to the relief fund.

Bombay Keraleeya Samaj, a community organisation, has cancelled an event it had scheduled on September 2 and decided to send the money saved for flood relief. “We have sent four trucks full of goods such as new clothes, bedsheets, oil, sugar, rice and rava. We intend to send a minimum of 12 trucks of relief material to Kerala,” said Suresh Babu, treasurer, Bombay Keraleeya Samaj.

Normal prayers will be conducted as usual at the Asthika Samaj temple in Matunga.

Mani’s Lunch Home, a joint popular for its Onam Sadya (special Onam feast ), has also cancelled the feast and donated funds for rehabilitation of the victims.

“We have cancelled the annual Onam Sadya because of the floods in Kerala, and have already sent a bit of the share to Kerala,” said a spokesperson from the restaurant.

A few students from SIES College, Sion, have also left for Munnar to help in relief operations. Meanwhile, the celebration scheduled in the college premises have been rescheduled for the later part of September. “Our student volunteers carried out a flood relief collection drive, which included food and clothes. Then a few students, along with native students from Kerala, left for the state along with the relief material,” said Roy Mathew, head of the commerce department, SIES College.

Over 231 lives were claimed in the flood. Currently, 10,40,688 people belonging to 2,78,781 families are currently being catered to at 2,774 relief camps.