False data on social media discourages volunteers

No doubt Chennaiites have come together in fighting back the worst disaster that they have faced in the last 100 years. Not to be missed is the excellent and tireless service of individual volunteers in providing relief materials and running rescue operations. But they are chequered with problems like unsystematic distribution of materials, lack of streamlined rescue efforts and fake information, which hampered their efforts. 

Photographer Sundar Ramu, who has been coordinating relief materials as well as running rescue operations in areas like T Nagar and Kotturpuram, says a central point of contact was set up, in an effort to streamline rescue efforts. “A team has been set up by Kiran Reddy of SPI Cinemas and we have 300 volunteers systematically working to ensure there is no overlapping of relief materials provided. We have meetings in the morning to map our areas, which need help,” says Sundar, who returned from Kotturpuram, after spot visit to assess the situation. 

Highlighting the problems on ground, Sundar adds, “The lack of proper channelling had everybody rush to the same spots. In fact, Loyola College, which is housing the stranded people, saw 20 groups giving out aid. In other places, there is a paucity of aid. We also get calls from people, asking us to check on their relatives in flooded areas. While we try to do this, there are also a lot of people, who don’t want to be rescued, as they don’t want to leave their homes and valuables. We try to help those areas where the army and navy teams haven’t reached, to ensure we don’t get into their way. Since Chennai is slowly getting back on its feet, we have also started collecting relief materials for Cuddalore, another badly-hit pocket.” 

Sundar says there are lot of false information on social media, which hampers their efforts. “A lot of information on social media turned out to be fake. People were spreading rumours, which only caused panic and delayed us,” he says. Ramachandran Sriram, a student at SRM University, part of a mission to evacuate the other students, had an unpleasant experience, due to circulation of false information. “Since the current was strong, I was helping other students reach to a safe place and also speaking to the parents. I was getting calls from people in and around the area, to check on their relatives. I was happy to do that. But, my number was wrongly listed as the army helpline by a national news channel and I got close to a thousand distress calls. I felt really bad because I had to explain them that they called a wrong number. I felt helpless,” he narrates. 

Manju, a volunteer from Villivakkam, says, “We had calls from people, who needed immediate relief but couldn’t access it since the numbers listed did not work or were fake.”