Vijayawada: Students of Vijayawada city are planning to give up Diwali celebrations to render an helping hand to the Hudhud cyclone victims of Visakhapatnam. The students also decided to stop celebrating their birthdays for the coming two or three months and donate the amount to cyclone victims.
Speaking to this newspaper, M. Sumasri, a second year B.Com student of Sidhartha Women’s College here said, “it is our duty to come to the rescue of fellow citizens of Visakhapatnam who are in need of water and food.” She said that she decided to give up Diwali celebrations and also motivate her family members and neighbours to donate liberally for cyclone victims.
Another girl V. Krishnakumari of the same college, said that she decided to give up both the Diwali celebrations and her birthday celebrations due in next month and divert the amount to help cyclone victims of Visakhapatnam. She said, “Imagine the fate of residents of Visakhaptnam who are spending sleepless nights for the past five days without power supply and water supply. It is a time for humanitarian approach towards cyclone victims.” Not just these two girls, several other students also decided to help the cyclone victims with a commitment. R. Sandhya and D. Gayatri of Poranki village decided to motivate their neighbours to help the cyclone victims in one way or the other.
Another student B. Jyotsna Rani said that her brother’s birthday in January would be celebrated with low budget and the amount would be distributed to cyclone victims. The students who are busy with their examinations decided to conduct an awareness programme in the city to motive people to render a helping hand to the cyclone victims of Visakhapatnam.
College principal Dr T. Vijayalakshmi, welcoming the decision of the students, said that people should develop social responsibility and help fellow citizens at the time of national calamities. She said such an act would send a message to others to follow.
