ACCE (I) Donate Grocery Kits to 1100 MCC Low Wage Workers & 125 Poor Families in Thumbay
Civil Engineers of Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (ACCE -I)-Mangaluru Centre Donate Grocery Kits to 1100 Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Low Wage Workers, in Mangaluru, in association with MCC; & 125 Poor Families in Thumbay, worth around Rs Five lakhs.
Mangaluru: During this pandemic, stocked refrigerators and safe shelters are big blessings to have. However, not everyone has the means for this. The 21-day nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus in India, including Mangaluru, has affected the livelihood of thousands of people. While slum dwellers and daily wage workers are struggling to earn their daily bread, migrant labourers have also been left without work, with some having walked back to their hometowns. Government is doing best to take care of all these migrants and the poor- but, it is not just the government which is stepping forward, a slew of non-governmental organisations are charging ahead to alleviate the conditions. And one such organization helping out to the needy in the present situation, is Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (ACCE (I)- Mangaluru Centre, who are providing Ration kits (comprising of Rice, Sugar, Tea powder, Salt, Onions, Oil, Dal, Green Peas,Chilli Powder, etc.) to the nearly 1000 plus Low Wage Workers of Mangaluru City Corporation in various sections ( like Pourakarmikas, daily labourers, water supply department workers, Asha workers, maintenance, security, drivers, among others) and also to the needy families, in Thumbay.
These are not just professional Civil Engineers who are responsible for the infrastructure and other constructions in the City and beyond, but they are also Good Samaritans, when it comes to serving the society, in the time of need- and their voluntarism during this lock down should be very much appreciated by the community- because citizens should note that these civil engineers are among the most influential professionals in our communities. They shape neighborhoods with their structures and their services. They create jobs for people and jump start economic activities. They bring far fetched ideas to life and improve on existing ideas to make them much better and much more efficient. They are among the people who ignite change in society. Many people look up to them as inspirations, as leaders, as pillars of society.
Little do people know that being an engineer, for that matter, a Civil Engineer, is a demanding and tough task. It is not for mere men to become engineers as it takes the best and brightest minds to be able to come up with innovations and advancements that would stand the test of time. It demands the best and does not settle for anything but the best because as any good engineer worth his salt would know, in his hands lay the future of society. They also play a important role in our daily lives, and these engineers shape the future one day at a time. And such kind of Civil Engineers are part of the ACCE(I)- Mangaluru Centre, who stepped forward in helping the needy during this pandemic.
On Tuesday, 14 April, on the request of Praveen B Thumbay-the Past Vice President of Thumbay Grama Panchayat to help around 125 poor families in Thumbay vicinity, ACCE (I) readily agreed to do the needful, in providing the Ration Kits, in association with Lions Club of Bantwal. Two cars from Mangaluru left to Thumbay on Tuesday afternoon, with ACCE (I) -Mangaluru Centre members- Er Arun Prabha- Chairman, Er Satya Ranjan Rao- Vice Chairman, Er Vijay Vishnu Mayya- past VP of National ACCE (I)-South, Er Bharath J- Executive Board member, Er Sharath Devadiga- Active Club member, along with Yours Truly. We were all welcomed with kind hospitality by the locals there, and to quench our thirst, it was Bonda (tender coconut) Time!
With a brief introduction of the president of Lions Club of President of Ln Srinivas Poojary Melkar, members of Lions Club Bantwal Santhosh Kottinja, Prashanth Kotian, Tapodhan Shetty, Raghavendra Karanth.and local social leaders Prakash B Shetty, Mohammed Valavoor , Hameed Valavoor, Manohar Kottary, Sadhashiv Thumbay (MRPL) and others, by Praveen Thumbay, it was time to distribute the 125 Ration/Grocery Kits to the needy families in that area, which put miles of smiles on their faces- and they all thanked the Engineers for their kind gesture, and for thinking of them during this worst situation.
On Wednesday, 15 April, once again the ACCE (I) team met at Mangaluru City Corporation building to distribute 1100 Ration Kits to the MCC Low Wage Workers, from the various sections ( like Pourakarmikas, daily labourers, water supply department workers, Asha workers, maintenance, security, drivers, among others). The Grocery Kits were handed over to the workers by MLA Mangalore South Vedavyas Kamath, Mayor of MCC Divakar, Deputy Mayor Vedavathi, MCC commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde, Leader of opposition Abdul Rauf, former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde, MCC executive engineers among others. MLA, Mayor and MCC Commissioner extended their heartfelt thanks to the ACCE (I) members for their generosity towards the needy. The funds raised for this project was contributed individually by the members of ACCE(I) Mangaluru centre.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Er Arun Prabha, the Chairman of ACCE (I)-Mangaluru Centre said, “Coronavirus disease has had a disastrous effect worldwide and looks some what contained in our nation so far. It’s heartening to see that the citizens are responding to the calls of the government and the results are visible. In the lockdown period though everyone is affected in someway or the other the construction labourers are the most vulnerable in India, including in our City here. We the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India) Mangaluru Centre are doing every bit of service that’s possible. We have mapped the apartment buildings indifferent wards in the city, helped in packing food from Indira Canteen, we have distributed several food kits to the needy and we are looking out for areas we can be of help. All the members of the association are ready to be part of any incentive that will ease out problem of the common people. My sincere thanks to our dear members for their generosity”.
In conclusion, the joy of being able to bless and give someone you love and care, and to make them smile, is priceless. The satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of others cannot be overstated. Knowing that you have helped make someone else’s life a little brighter and better is a special feeling, and one that will last with you for a long time. And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy. “We are the world. We are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day. We’re all part of God’s great big family. And the truth is that love is all we need. So let’s start giving, for it’s true, we’ll make a better day. Just you and me.” – These thought-provoking lyrics by the late pop-star Michael Jackson from the song “We Are the World” are quite befitting here. Yes, we all can do it if we make up our mind.
Through such kind of community service and help, these Civil engineers continue to advance the civil engineering profession and in the same time serve the public good. No doubt that these engineers have dedicated their time and also their expertise to a cause that is important to everyone. Hope other Engineers will also follow in their footsteps and come forward to help during this time of pandemic.Now you know that Civil Engineers are not just ENGINEERS but in times of NEED they are GOOD SAMARITANS too. ! Team Mangalorean while applauding the good work done by these Civil engineers, would like to say, “Keep Up The Good Work That You All Entrusted With, and May God Bless You All. Long Live Civil Engineers