Kaleshwaram youth go all out to help needy during pandemic
Besides distributing essentials to affected families, Sanjeevani Seva Samithi members also perform last rites of Covid victims
Jayashankar Bhupalpally: What started as a fledgling voluntary organisation to prevent pollution in River Godavari seven years ago has now blossomed into a full-fledged institution that has won accolades from all sections of society for its service to people during these times of Covid-19 pandemic.
Keerthi Shravan Kumar, a local youngster, was perturbed by the sorry state of affairs on the banks of Godavari at the famous temple town of Kaleshwaram in the district due to water pollution. He decided to do something about it and make the environs clean and protect the river from pollution. He and three like-minded friends launched a voluntary organisation ‘Sanjeevani Seva Samithi’ (SSS) in 2014.
In the initial days, they took up several activities to bring about awareness among the pilgrims not to throw clothes and other material in the river and they were successful to a great extent. “Since devotees from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh visit Kaleshwaram, some people leave behind their relatives who are down with mental illness. Moved by the plight of those destitute, we offered meals and other assistance to them. We also shifted a few persons to orphanages and old age homes,” Shravan Kumar told Telangana Today.
The organisation has been receiving appreciation from people as well as public servants for their service to Covid-19 patients in Kataram Sub-Division of Bhupalpally district since last year. Besides distributing groceries and other essentials to family members of Covid-19 patients, SSS members also conducted the last rites of four persons who died of the virus recently.
“We have been performing the last rites of people who die of Covid wearing PPE kits. We are also making people aware of the virus besides distributing masks and other items,” Shravan Kumar, MA Journalism holder, who works for a vernacular news channel said.
The SSS members have also earned a name for preventing people from committing suicide at the Kaleshwaram ghat. “We also fought against Gudumba (ID liquor) manufacturing in villages and destroyed thousands of litres of Gudumba despite threats from the ID liquor mafia,” Shravan said, adding that they had conducted counselling sessions for liquor addicts. Meanwhile, the Sanjeevani members have expanded their activities to villages in neighbouring Maharashtra too.
“If anyone suffers from Covid-19 and needs any sort of help, he/she may contact us – 9177887142 – to get food or other service,” Shravan added. “We have also conducted blood donation camps to help patients,” said another member E Suman, who hails from Kataram.
“Everyone must appreciate the services of the Sanjeevani Seva Samithi members for their services. The organisation distributed essential goods to the Covid-affected people and their families at our village on Tuesday,” said Korlakunata Sarpanch Naveen Kumar.
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