Ramakrishna Mission & Math to set up cyclone shelters in South 24-Parganas

Kolkata: Ramakrishna Mission & Math (RKM) will set up cyclone shelters-cum-non-formal schools in the cyclone hit areas of South 24-Parganas, Swami Suviranandaji, general secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission said on Wednesday.

RKM will take up the matter with the district administration of South 24-Parganas to select the locations where the cyclone shelters-cum-non -formal schools will be set up. The concept is new to Bengal. Non formal schools will be run throughout the year and during cyclone or any natural calamity like flood the people who are evacuated could be put up at the centres.

Moreover, the roofs can be used to receive the relief materials that will be airdropped during the disaster.

RKM had set up such cyclone centres-cum-non-formal schools in the east Govari district of Andhra Pradesh, around 120 km off Vijaywada in the 1990s. RKM has set up a bridge connecting the villages with the mainland.

During COVID- 19 and Amphan RKM spent over Rs 25 crores to provide primary relief to the people in distress. The fund has been provided by the common people. All the centres in North and South 24 -Parganas, Kolkata and Saradapith carried out extensive relief work after the Amphan disaster. The Mansadep centre though it was badly hit by the super cyclone provided cooked food to the affected people.

During COVID- 19, all the centres of RKM in India and the centres in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and South Africa provided relief to the people. In the United States and Europe classes on spirituality were held to give positive thought and ideas to the people.

It may be mentioned that in addition to provide primary relief after any natural calamity RKM is concentrating more on rehabilitation and had carried out rehabilitation work after the earthquake in Latur in 2003, great Odisha cyclone in 1999, Tsunami in 2004 and Kedarnath flood in 2013.