JOINING HANDS TO MAKE COVID19 FREE SHEVAROYHILLS

INAUGURATION OF HELP DESK 

20.05.2021

The situation in the hills of Yercaud was getting worse. The Corona positive cases are sharply increasing. There are already around 500 and counting. There are also occasional deaths. It has spread to interior villages. A village of 50 houses has more than 50 cases. The entire hill is suffering lockdown from 6th April. The travel and tourism industry is totally shut.

“People working in resorts and hotels, vendors in tourist attraction areas have been hit badly” Fr A. Raj, SDB, Rector of the Retreat-Don Bosco, states.

“We have set up a TASK FORCE consisting of medical team, Police departments, tahsildar and Block development office” he adds.

The Retreat – Don Bosco has taken the initiative to coordinate together with volunteers to face the challenge.

The TASK FORCE has drawn up ACTION PLAN IN THREE PHASES.

PHASE I: AWARENESS, TESTING, VACCINATION & GROCERY/FOOD SUPPORT to covid affected families (but a lot of them are in hunger due to no alternative livelihood)

PHASE II: Setting up COVID CARE CENTRE (with 100 beds. It is not easy to travel to Salem from different parts of the hills. Currently, Covid care centre only in Salem)

PHASE III: Setting up TREATMENT CENTRE (with 20 beds in existing primary government hospital).

“Currently, we are engaged with Phase I. Any type of your support is welcome. Most importantly, those in India, kindly stay safe and healthy” Fr. Raj concludes.

In fact, the Yercaud Union Covid19 Task Force inaugurated its two help desks in two main places (Ondikadai & Gandhi Park) of Yercaud in the presence of Mr. Gunasekaran, BDO of Yercaud, Mr. Thomson, Director, PHO (Public Health Officer) of Yercaud, Mrs. Sasikala, Inspector of Police of Yercaud, Mr. Selvakumar, Health Inspector of Yercaud, Fr. Arul Maran, the Vice Provincial of Don Bosco Province of Tiruchy, Fr. A. Raj, and the Volunteers.

All these officials lauded the initiative and promised to work together.

After the inauguration there was a special meeting for all the volunteers. During the Meeting, the volunteers were divided into four groups such as Help Desk team, Grocery kit & Food Management, Documentation, Media and Village Youth Coordinators. They all met in the respective groups and discussed about their duties and the ways to carry forward them.

Finally, Dr. Thomson instructed the volunteers about the safety measures to be individually taken care. The TASK FORCE got into action with all the government departments directly involved.