Of a somnolent state government, infallible students and some posers
While the government slept, Delhi University students sprang into action for Orissa’s cyclone victims. Their spontaneous relief effort became a testament to youth solidarity, selflessness, and what true civic commitment looks like in the face of bureaucratic apathy.
By Saswat Pattanayak
The Asian Age
It all began with the television coverage roiling up their emotions. National dailies turning them Dionysian. And a rectitude stirring up their souls. Students in Delhi did not require any more inducement to help the cyclone-affected people of Orissa.
With many Oriya and non-Oriya students of Delhi University having circumvented their career goals for a while, fifteen of them are now in Orissa. To volunteer their service in distributing relief material, they have marshalled over the past couple of weeks. To proffer their help with all their soul and mind, without beveling their commitment toward the cause in any manner.
Although they have enough reasons to resign — from the lackadaisical state officials stationed in Delhi to the rule-frenched bureaucracy with a somniferous government, everything seems to have fallen apart. The level of expediency might have shot up, but they have not let that bother them beyond their level of tolerance. Of completing the task they set out to accomplish.
When they broached over the subject of helping the Jubilee Hall of the PG hostel in DU on November 1, they were counting too few. Twenty grew into many. One University. Just one night of resolve, and one night of lachrymose for some relatives back home. Their determination was a funfair for Delhiites otherwise mummified for a longer afternoon nap.
Students residing in the International hostels also parted with their clothes, for unknown faces of a different race. PG Women’s hostel and Meghdoot students, known for being market-savvy, did go on a shopping spree — but this time for victims who are shadow-boxing with death in an obscure Orissa. PG Men’s, Jubilee, Manasarovar and Gwyer hostellers cut their monthly pocket money short for the woes who were in no way related to them.
One “Orissa Cyclone Relief” box fetched Rs 3,500 within an hour! From the unfriendly autorickshawala to the blue-line bus driver, from the peppy money-hopper who fished out a Rs 500 note even before she was asked for it, to the housewives down the Sarais. The members of the informal group which is organizing relief works here find time just enough to recount the experiences.
Experiences were bitter too. When the resident commissioner at Orissa Niwas pleaded helplessness in co-ordinating the relief operations, when the students could not get their railway tickets confirmed, let alone obtain rail concessions, and the officials could not care to indulge, they finally discovered that Orissa was being represented by visionless officials. It had no head and never given it a thought to form a relief co-ordinating committee.
That was the beginning. And the team consisting of Surendra, Neeta, Prasanna, Syed, Sanjay, Ranjan, Rajiv, Surendra, Sanjay, Amit, Sandeep, Manon, Shiv, Shyam, Biswap and Rajesh — is making an example of how, in the inaction of any government, no effort fails if its subjects have the purpose.
