India - AICCTU Appeal: Support Relief Work to Daily Wage Workers Due to Torrential Rains in Bangalore

 AICCTU Appeal: Support Relief Work to Daily Wage Workers Due to Torrential Rains in Bangalore

Bengaluru has been experiencing torrential rains for the past few weeks, thus rendering several thousand working-class families in the lurch due to submergence of their houses. Mahadevapura zone in Bengaluru have been inundated in rain water owing to encroachment of lakes and rajakaluves (storm water drains) by illegal construction sites, lack of urban planning and apartments pumping out water from their premises into these nearby working-class areas. Neither the BBMP, nor the state government authorities have paid any heed to the dire circumstances of these slum residents.

The workers living in these areas are predominantly engaged in solid waste management, including powrakarmikas, auto drivers/helpers, rag pickers, construction workers, domestic workers, daily-wagers, among others, who make substantial contribution in building the city. Workers in these areas have lost their homes and most of their belongings. They do not have dry shelter and no food to eat. The children are among the worst off since they have lost their books and are unable to go to school.

Several complaints have been filed by the affiliate unions of All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) with the BBMP and state government authorities in regard to the situation in these areas and to ensure temporary shelter arrangements, provision of free ration, bedsheets, clothing, among other facilities, along with compensation for all the loss sustained due to submergence of all their household items, including electronic items, two-wheelers, ration, utensils, clothes, etc. While the government will take steps whenever it does, there is an urgent need to ensure that the people have access to basic amenities like shelter and food. AICCTU proposes to distribute tarpaulin to each family who are facing torrential rains every evening when the downpour starts. We also intend to provide ration kits for 2 weeks which would include: 10 kgs rice, 4 kgs wheat flour, 5 kgs rice, 1 litre oil, 1 kg salt, 2 kgs sugar and spices (haldi, chilli powder, jeera powder and coriander powder). We also intend to provide each family an education kit, which includes 4 notes books, 2 pens, 2 pencils, 2 erasers, 2 sharpeners and 2 boxes of crayons. With this we hope that the children will be able to go to school and the box of crayons to keep them engaged and distracted atleast for some time from the tragedy unfolding around them.

We are writing to you with an appeal to support this endeavour to help those who have lost everything to the floods. While media is busy talking about the housing complexes which are flooded and employees of big companies being stranded and the loss that the ORR companies have had during these rains, the survival of those who have a massive role in building the city is now at stake. You could use any of the payment options below:

Bank Name: Syndicate Bank (now merged with Canara Bank)
Bank Branch: Vimanapura, Bengaluru
A/c Holder Name: AICCTU (All India Central Council of Trade Unions)   
A/c no.: 04112010104497
IFSC no.: SYNB0000411    
MICR no.: 560025043

UPI: whynotpips@okaxis
Phone number: 9448135832

For more information, contact: Lekha (9686757053) or Swathi (9481168048)
[Please send a screenshot of the transaction to any of these numbers]