Even as intense flood rescue operations are underway across Kerala, the Southern Railways has stepped up to lending a helping hand in the crisis. According to a statement released by the Southern Railways, 7 BRN wagons with Sintex tanks carrying 2.8 lakhs litres of water were dispatched to Kerala from Erode Junction on Friday.
In addition to this, 15 BRN flat wagons were also moved with Sintex water tanks with loading decanting facility to Erode from Tondiarpet, Chennai. The Railways has made arrangements for the emergency movement of drinking water by this train to Kerala.
As on Friday, the loading of 10,000 c/boxes of water bottles (1,00,000) to the IRCTC Rail Neer Plant in Parassala was also underway, to be despatched to the government of Kerala as per the instructions of Additional Chief Secretary, Kerala.
15,000 boxes with water bottles were also being despatched from Palur Plant, Tamil Nadu. Of this, 660 boxes were loaded in the West Coast Express and another 660 boxes of water bottles was loaded in 12695 Express on August 17.
In his press briefing on Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured people that the 2,094 relief camps, housing 3,14,391 people from 70,085 families had provided providing food, water and medicines to the people.
Helicopters and boats were also used to distribute food to those in isolated areas as well as in relief camps.
The unprecedented flooding in the state has also seen several government agencies come forward to pitch with their help to alleviate the crisis.
BSNL announced unlimited free calls for a week from Friday in Kerala's worst-hit districts – Wayanad, Idukki, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta. The service is inclusive of unlimited SMS and 20-minute free calls to non-BSNL numbers per day.
Air India had waived applicable penalties of "re-issuance, date change, no-show, cancellation and refund charges for travel from/ to Kochi, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram for both domestic as well as international flights for travel between August 15 to 26.