Friday 4 December 2015

My Heroes of 3rd Dec - Chennai Floods

you can help in many ways depending on your ability and reach:
http://www.oneindia.com/india/chennai-rains-floods-help-know-what-where-how-to-donate-1945428.html


*****


I spent much of the 3rd Dec 2015 in T P Chatram. Here thousands of homes are submerged in water.

I have a new respect for Chennai and its people. While I am sure there are brighter stars in the universe, in my system these are the heroes who shone the brightest:

1. Rajesh and his friends - take the first spot. These unassuming half dozen friends just standing idly in the darkness at the (knee deep water submerged) street corner, jumped into action and led me with all the sincerity, alacrity and courtesy of professionals. Helped me identify homes with infants and helped deliver baby formula. Also helped me distribute fever meds, milk and candles.

2. Unknown individuals and unnamed NGO who were distributing food in T P Chatram at lunch time.

3. Sub-inspectors of T P Chatram police station who were helping with all the efforts and keeping order. They also were making jokes and keeping people smiling, agreed I did not understand any of the jokes in Tamil but I know for sure some of these jokes were on me.

4. Ambulance drivers who worked relentlessly and helped all, especially infants and elderly reach hospital from T P Chatram.


From the rest of the city,
5. The solid waste disposal vehicle operators and drivers.

6. Bus conductors and drivers who kept the city connected.

7. Auto drivers who were willing to go in the direction no one was taking me to for making my work possible.

Perhaps these people will not go in any other history, but in my books, they are heroes.



*****

Incentives and preferences:

All the people who I rubbed shoulder with yesterday were excellent people. But everyone, perhaps, had motivations other than philanthropy.

     Rajesh and his friends decided who will lead in which building based on who (of perhaps which girl) lives in that building, make a good impression. All the people employed by city and state, were perhaps working on orders of their superiors and were getting paid for it for sure. NGO workers were employees. Auto drivers charged way above the usual fares

But does that reduce our contribution to the efforts? Does that make the food they delivered less nutritious or the candles burn dimmer? 

I guess my lesson for the day was that what one does counts at the end of the day. Why you started doing it and what you got out of it, who knows?