Bhubaneswar: Super cyclone “FANI” has rekindled love for the motherland Odisha among the expat odia community living in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Since 3rd May, 2019 the community was restless and eager to find a way to support their unlucky poor brothers and sisters back in Odisha. Odia Samaj Abu Dhabi (OSA) authorized and funded a six-member delegate led by OSA president, Pradeep Kumar Rath to carry out relief work in the devastated remote areas and villages in the state. The team visited 18 affected villages of Puri district during 31st May 2019 to 05th June 2019 and supported 2000 poor families by distributing solar lanterns, sarees, mosquito nets, towels, soaps, food packets, etc. to bring little smile on their face.
OSA team went to Balisahi village and nearby areas in Sakhigopal of Puri district on 31st May, 2019 and distributed solar lanterns, sarees, mosquito nets, soaps, food packets and other necessary items among 500 families. The team also visited Asha kiran Old age Home in Sakhigopal and donated Rs. 50,000 for repairing the damaged building and distributed relief items to 24 inmates. Besides this, the delegates visited and promised to extend the concerned authorities to provide all kinds of support for rebuilding the damaged classrooms and office of Chandrasekhar dev High School, Hakapada, Delang.
The relief work was carried out by the team by generating funds from their own salary savings. Apart from OSA President Pradeep Kumar Rath, the other members of the team included General secretary Sidharth Das, Cultural secretary Kamala Panda and other members. The team, accompanied by poet Gyana Hota, comedian Mani, actress Gargi Mohanty, choreographer Bidu sir, and musician Somyajit visited Padmashree Devarapalli Prakash Rao, the guest of honor at “Utkarsha-2019” (OSA’s annual function held on 3rd May 2019) and supported him by donating Two lakh rupees to renovate his devastated house and “Asha Aswasana Slum school”. The delegates also visited ”THE SAMAJA” office and discussed their relief work and plans with Shri Bamapada Tripathi, Chief editor “The Samaja” and National editor Shri Niranjana Rath for recreating the birthplace of Utkalamani Gopabandhu into a national heritage site.
The dedicated and motivated delegates continued their relief work on 3rd & 4th June, 2019, visiting Benakara, Paika Sahi, Ghasi Bhabanipur, Suando, Tala Kanduriyapada, and Upara Kanduriyapada Villages in Puri District and distributing relief materials among 530 displaced families. The team also distributed relief materials in Nimapada’s Khandasahi and Kelasahi and Mulisahi villages in Konark. The delegates also discussed with the grandsons of Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das on how to renovate his devastated and damaged house.
The OSA team received adulation and appreciation from one and all for their herculean effort of carrying out relief work on such a mass scale using their own funds and savings. The delegates were assisted by local volunteers and villagers in performing such noble duty towards their motherland and fellow brethrens in such distressed times.
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